Year of the Fox
by Scriptedfrenzy
Summary: Naruto is an orphan, shunned by everyone because of his blood, but with unbreakable spirit. Still, his past haunts him. In his dreams he sees someone who meant alot to him, but that he can no longer remember. Until he appears. Eventual SasuNaru
1. Ichigatsu

**Author's note:**

This fic has already been up for months on AFF and LJ, but I finally gave into demands from a few of my reviewers and got an accoutn on here.  
So even if you've read it already, I'd appreciate it greatly if you'd leave me a few words! 3

For new readers: I know it seems slightly clichè; SasuNaru, angst, AU etc... But give it a chance, no two stories are alike, and you might be surprised! -  
It's still a WIP, and I have no idea how many chapters I'll end up with.  
Initially I was intending for it to be 12 chapters; One chapter being one month, allowing us to follow Naruto and the others through a whole year. But I'm already on chapter 10, and still haven't gotten past August, so we'll see xD

Woah, chapter 1 seems so short! Xx  
They get longer! I promise.

Updates will happen approx. once a week. Usually on Fridays -

This fic is beta'd by the lovely _Nigellica_.

**Warning:  
**For this chapter; nothing too bad... Language.

Future chapters: Language, Yaoi, Lemons and limes, angst, possible character death (Sorry!)

**Pairing:** Eventual SasuNaru, and others that will remain as secrets for now xD

Enjoy the read! 3**

* * *

**

**Ichigatsu**

_It was dark.  
__Darker than it should be.  
__Where was the door? He couldn't remember. His eyes still hadn't grown accustomed to the darkness. He tried to stand up, fumbled and fell.  
__His leg ached, when he moved the dried blood sort of pulled at his bruised skin, the result was an excruciating pain that shot through him.  
_"_Dad?" he whispered.  
__There was no reply. After beating him senseless, much harder than before, after looking at him with eyes that were darker than he'd ever seen them, and more hateful than ever, he'd thrown him in here. The screaming outside had continued, for hours, then it had subsided. After a few more hours new screams were heard.  
__He couldn't shut them out.  
H__e was scared.  
__How many days had he been locked up?  
__Where was the exit?  
__Where was his father?  
Why were there no more noises?  
__He hadn't heard a thing from the outside since at least two days ago.  
__A skeletal hand pressed against the cold brick wall. Where was the door?!  
__Tears made their way down his cheeks. "Help…" _

* * *

"Kuso!"  
Uzumaki Naruto rushed down the corridor, he was drenched from top to bottom.  
It was raining heavily outside, and it was freezing.  
Because of the rain that had poured continuously the past few days the streets were covered in a layer of ice, and in addition to that; huge puddles of water and slush instead of snow.  
The news constantly showed footage from accidents caused by the horrid conditions, but it didn't seem like anyone cared, and least of all in the mornings, when people were speeding not to be late for work.

Naruto, not having a car had to get up at six thirty if he was to make it to school in time. The bus didn't pass by his neighborhood, so he was forced to walk. Of course, he never managed to get up in time, or rather, even if he did wake up at six, or even five thirty there would always be some sort of hold-up and he'd inevitably have to rush to school anyways.  
In the end he had given up on the whole getting-up-in-time-thing and enjoyed a few extra minutes of sleep.  
His days could never suck more than they already did after all.  
At least, unless it was a day like _this _one.  
Some bastard in a rush had passed him this morning, spraying him with freezing water and slush as he drove by. Two more cars seemed to have Naruto as their target after that, and so he ended up coming to school soaking wet. And late to top it off, just because something was wrong with the traffic lights on Main Street again, and no person in their right mind would cross that street without the lights being green. 

He barely made it to his locker; he was so stressed he nearly passed it before remembering that he needed his books.  
He got them in a hurry and slammed it shut.  
The bell had rung nearly fifteen minutes ago.  
"Shit!" he looked at the clock on the wall as he continued his race up to the second floor. "I'm way too late! Again!"

The door hit the wall with a loud thump as Naruto came storming into the classroom.  
About thirty pairs of eyes turned to him; mocking, spiteful, condescending, even hateful.  
"Uzumaki. Do you know what time it is?"  
"Yes." he mumbled.  
"So you do realize that you're more than fifteen minutes late for the third time just this week? And that we're only two weeks into the new year? I will not mention the total, but I think you're aware of the fact that if you keep this up there is no way you'll pass this class this year! Not with this kind of attendance!"  
"I know…"  
"I don't want to see you this late again Uzumaki!" the teacher snarled. "Is that clear?!"  
"Yes Mizuki-sensei."  
"Good. Now find your seat, you're causing a flood."  
Naruto looked down at his feet and the puddle of water he was standing in.  
"Sorry." he mumbled, heading over to his seat on the fourth row.  
"What happened to you?" someone asked.  
"Thrown in the fountain again?"  
"Had another incident with the toilet bowl?"  
"No, you're both wrong. It's not often he gets a chance to shower. He has to take any opportunity!"  
The class laughed.  
Someone tripped him. He stumbled, but didn't fall.  
Ignoring the comments and glares, he sat down as dignified as he could.  
The fact that they laughed at him was nothing new.  
The fact that Mizuki-sensei did nothing to stop him was nothing new either. Naruto sighed mentally and pulled the book out of his backpack.  
Great. He'd brought the wrong book.  
It was definitely one of _those_ days. 

He dragged himself through the corridor to his next class. Mizuki-sensei had surprised them with one of his frequent pop-quizzes. Naruto'd fail. He knew it. Modern History was not his strong point, and besides, he _never_ did well in Mizuki's class. The teacher hated him too much.  
This class was no different. It was chemistry, and he wasn't very popular with that teacher either. Orochimaru wasn't particularly friendly with any of the students, and especially not Naruto. In this case though, the blonde didn't mind, that guy was _freaky_, to say the least. He'd seen the way the man looked at some of the boys, and he wasn't the only one. Not that he could know for certain, since no one spoke to him anyway.

Now Orochimaru stood at the front of the classroom, his narrow eyes gazing over the students as if searching for a victim. In one way he was; whoever his eyes rested on would have to come to the front of the room and help him out with some experiment.  
Whoever had decided that letting Orochimaru play around with acids and other chemicals must have been lacking more than a few brain cells.  
When some shaky guy from the back was chosen, Naruto took a deep breath of relief.  
"What was that Uzumaki?" narrow eyes locked to his. "Would you like to help out too?"  
"No sir…"  
"Well, you're lucky that this experiment requires more brain cells than you own, so you can stay in your seat." he sneered.  
Some of the students laughed. They were quickly silenced by a sharp glare.  
Although Orochimaru was an evil bastard, he didn't tolerate laughter in his classes. Not so much because he opposed bullying, but because he couldn't stand laughter or any other kind of cheeriness.  
If you looked at it this way, Naruto almost liked his classes; few people dared to ridicule him there, and he was seated next to Shikamaru, who never said a bad word to him, maybe because mostly he said nothing at all, but still…

It wasn't that Naruto felt so unbelievably hurt when people bullied him or yelled at him.  
It wasn't that he was broken down and depressed.  
Naruto wasn't pitying himself.  
All of his life he'd been told he was worthless. He'd been kicked and spat on, called names and frozen out.  
But the fact was that he wasn't broken.  
He'd stopped his crying a long time ago, it didn't make things any better after all.  
Instead he'd decided to learn how to live with the fact that people hated him, that was another thing he couldn't change, his blood was still his blood no matter how much he wanted to change. So he just put up a smile; whenever someone hoped they'd broken him, he'd flash them his trademark grin. His pride and his smile, no one could take those away from him. Even if he did get hurt sometimes, he never let others see.  
If people preferred to treat him like dirt it didn't mean he had to act like an asshole back.  
It would have been nice to actually be able to talk to someone at school, but since they all pretty much seemed to hate him, he did fine without them. Uzumaki Naruto was a lone wolf, maybe not by choice, but he was confident. He held his head high and smiled.

The bell rang, it was time for lunch.  
The poor boy Orochimaru had snatched up front looked like he was about to die from relief when the bell sounded and he was free.  
How Orochimaru managed to keep _one _student up front for two full periods, doing one simple experiment was unbelievable. It must be some form of torture, Naruto figured.  
"You look a little pale. Are you ok?" he asked as he passed the other boy on their way out.  
"Get lost."  
"Fine. I was just being polite." Naruto shrugged and strode down the hallway. 

As always people stopped and stared at him.  
Whispering filled the corridor.  
"Look at him, walking around like he owns the place!"  
"I can't believe they accepted him here at all!"  
"What are you looking at freak?"  
Naruto stopped, smiled and said; "I looked back at you. Don't you know it's not polite to stare? Even if you want me so much you can't take your eyes of me."  
He kept walking, grinning.

Uzumaki Naruto was by no means broken in any way.

In the cafeteria it was noisy and crowded as always.  
But like every day you could clearly sense it when Naruto entered; that was when the noise subsided slightly and heads turned.  
_i "An ignore for an ignore." _  
That was his philosophy.  
Naruto simply walked over to the counter, looking back at whoever glared at him, got in line and ordered his lunch. Then he left the cafeteria, just as confident as he'd walked in. 

He ate his suspicious-looking meal in the library, frantically reading over some stuff for literature class. The teacher was always late, but the few times he actually arrived on time were always the times when Naruto hadn't read a single word in the textbook.  
Knowing Hatake Kakashi, there would be a test waiting. As if the man possessed telepathic powers he always knew when Naruto's guard was down, and conjured up a 'surprise' for the entire class.  
Naruto was sure that in some way it was a good thing; it kept him at least somewhat on his toes, but still. It was evil. Period.

As it turned out, the frantic studying had been a complete waste of time.  
The literature teacher was more than twenty minutes late.  
"Sorry I'm late class, I had to help an old lady cross the street."  
"There are no streets inside this building!" Sakura, a pink-haired, perky girl on the third row shrilled. Her best subject was literature, but it was impossible to show any real results in a class where the teacher was never present.  
Naruto shook his head, listening to Kakashi's further explanation.  
"Well I had to go out to buy more bananas for the teacher's lounge, and that was when I crossed the street."  
"The convenience store is on _this _side of the road!"  
"In any case I trust that you are responsible young people who studied independently while I was absent? Good. Keep that up, I have business to attend to." he headed towards the door again. "Oh, and the homework for next time is chapter five."  
"All of it?!"  
"Yes. Have fun kids."  
The door slammed shut.  
Immediately the classroom was filled with chatter. Most of the students took off.  
Naruto stayed behind. He didn't see where he should go, their next class was in forty minutes and was held in the same room, so going anywhere was pointless. Checking his backpack he found that he'd actually managed to bring the right book for the next class. Placing it on his desk, he decided to go through the homework. 

Sadly, Social Studies can be a very boring class, and ten minutes later Naruto was snoozing off at his desk.

"Naruto!"  
Blue eyes slid open.  
An annoyed gaze of brown glared down at him. "Uzumaki Naruto, do you know what I just spent five minutes of this class doing?"  
"No?" Naruto yawned.  
"Waking you!" the teacher growled. "Honestly, you'd think that at your age it wouldn't be so hard to both show up for class _and_ stay awake!"  
"Chill out Iruka-sensei." Naruto stretched. "I even did my homework this time! Two out of three isn't so bad, is it?"  
Iruka frowned. He looked around the classroom at the other students. "And here I was, thinking that this class looked out for each other. Isn't it normal to wake up your fellow student before class starts? It benefits everyone! Adds to your learning pleasure!"  
Someone mumbled something.  
"While we're in on the subject of being helpful. Is there anyone in this room that can tell me why I want you all to look out for each other?"  
No one answered.  
"Because when we're in this classroom we're a world of our own. This is our society. And in societies things don't work out unless we work together and help each other. Kiba! Are you listening?"  
A boy with brown, fuzzy hair turned around. "Uh, yeah?"  
"No, you weren't. You had your back turned, and if I'm not mistaken you're showing people pictures of your puppy again."  
Kiba smiled sheepishly and put his phone away.  
"Engage in social activities outside of class. But since you seem so friendly with Shino and Hinata, you will be pleased to hear that to better understand what it means to work together you will all be working on a project for the next three weeks. All of you are going to choose some sort of society and do some research on how it operates; it's strengths and weaknesses."  
A sigh went through the room.  
Iruka continued, "Since the three of you seem to be getting along so well I think we've got one group already."  
Neither of the three argued.  
"Ino, Chouji and Sakura. You're group two."  
The blonde girl called Ino glared over at Chouji, a chubby boy who kept sneaking his hand into his backpack, which obviously contained a bag of potato chips. For some reason she was always in his group.  
"What about Shikamaru?" she asked, normally he would also be in her group.  
"Shikamaru will be working with Naruto."  
Naruto looked up. He exchanged glances with the other boy, who didn't seem the slightest bit interested. Hard to tell that he was a genius unless you already knew.  
"And Sai, you go with them as well."  
"What?! What are you placing me with dickless for?!"  
Naruto sprung to his feet. "No way! I'm not working with that jerk!"  
"Tolerance is an important part of the recipe to a successful society. That's why the two of you are in the same group."  
Shikamaru's sigh was barely audible; "Troublesome…"  
"For now it's ok that you discuss amongst yourselves what kind of society you would like to look into, I'm here if you need help. And I'll write the rest of the info on the blackboard, make sure to note it down."  
The young teacher smiled at Naruto, who scowled back. Sai. Of all people he had to work with Sai.  
If Naruto was the most resented person in school, Sai came in a close second. The guy was real asshole, no more, no less. 

Now the two of them were glaring at each other across the classroom.  
There was just no way Naruto was moving.  
Sai seemed to be thinking the same thing.  
The stare-down was interrupted as Shikamaru calmly ordered; "Get over here you two, I want to get this over with."

Sending Sai one last scowl, Naruto pulled his chair up to Shikamaru's desk and waited for further instruction. It was obvious who the group's leader was. Not that he minded, but most likely Shika did. Being the group leader meant lots of extra work.  
"So how do we do this?" Naruto asked.  
"I say we do it the easy way;" Sai replied. "We use Iruka's example; this classroom. It will be easy work, especially since we even have both the top notch; me and the scum; you, in the same group."  
"Haha, funny. You must be seriously stupid if you think-"  
"Enough." Shikamaru interrupted. "If we are to ace this, and we will. We have to do something that impresses the teacher, and troublesome as it might be, we'll have to chose something no one else will." he sighed.  
"Like?" Sai asked.  
"This." he pointed to a picture in the textbook. Underneath it the description said; _"Ancient Incan City." _  
"The Inca?"  
"It's an old and fascinating culture. If we manage to dig up enough info on how their society worked we should ace it."  
Naruto frowned. It sounded like a lot of work. But that was what you got when you worked with Shika.  
Sai snorted. "I say we go with my way."  
"Well we're not."  
"It's not like you'll be doing much anyway." Naruto remarked dryly.  
"At least I can read, unlike you."  
"Really? All you do is doodle sketches. I've never seen you write a single syllable."  
"Enough." Shikamaru interrupted. "Naruto, I trust you to go by the library and get some books on the topic. I'll check online and Sai, since you're a lazy ass who never does anything you can do the only thing you're good at; draw illustrations."  
Sai snorted again and stood up.  
"And don't even try to skip study-hour on Monday. We'll discuss more when we have the info."  
"So I can go then?"  
"Yes."  
"See ya losers." Sai grabbed his bag and went through the door.  
Iruka started after him. "Sai?! Where are y-" Rubbing his temples he decided to just let him go. If he stayed he'd only cause trouble anyway. The only one who'd suffer for it if Sai left in the middle of the class was Sai himself.  
"Good riddance." Naruto said, glaring at the door. 

Shikamaru shrugged. "It's not like it'll make any difference if he's here or not. Come on."  
"Where?" the blonde wondered.  
"Library. I doubt this place has any info on ancient tribal cultures, but it's worth a shot. Let's go."

The school library was by no means small. But despite its size it had a terrible selection of books. In the dusty shelves one could find a classic or two, written by Dickens, Shakespeare or some other famous dead guy. But mostly it held shortened, cheap versions of various other books, outdated encyclopedias and atlases and books entitled 'computers for dummies' 'math for dummies' 'Japanese for dummies' and so on. Those titles pretty much said what the teachers felt about their students and their learning abilities.  
The only section that was filled with every single book in a series was one that should never have been there in the first place; the Icha Icha section.  
The only reason why those books were there was that it was Jiraiya, who taught biology who'd written them, under a pseudonym he thought no one would be able to see through. And also, the literature professor, Hatake Kakashi was the biggest fan the series had, and he had insisted that he'd quit teaching unless those books stayed where they were.  
"Hey Shika! This one has like three chapters on ancient cultures!"  
"Don't call me Shika."  
"I'm getting it."  
"There's no use for it. It's too old."  
"Relax Shika,"  
"Don't call me-"  
Naruto went on; "The book might be old and outdated, but the Inca is a really old tribe right? It's not like a dead culture has changed in the last ten years." he insisted.  
"Fine, get it then."

They got back to the classroom just as the others were packing up for the day.  
"Found what you needed?" Iruka asked as they passed him.  
"Maybe."  
"I'll see if I can find something for you at my house, I think I have some papers on the Inca somewhere. I'll bring them for you tomorrow." he smiled and turned to the rest of the class; "Alright, I hope everyone wrote down the date for the hand-in and presentation! Work hard everyone! Class dismissed."  
The students flocked towards the door.  
"Naruto, can you stay behind for a second?"  
Naruto nodded.  
"Don't be late on Monday." Shikamaru warned as he walked out.  
"Don't worry about it. I'll be there Shika."  
"Troublesome." the boy rolled his eyes and left.

When it was only the two of them left in the room, Naruto looked at his teacher and asked; "What's wrong?"  
"Why do you think something is wrong?"  
"Your brow always furrows like that when you're worried, and besides, usually there's _something _bothering you when you make me stay behind like this."  
"You know me too well." he chuckled.  
"Just tell me already." the blonde said, sitting up on the desk, impatiently swinging his feet back and forth.  
"Are they bothering you again?" the teacher asked worriedly.  
"Who?"  
"Your classmates?"  
"Try everyone in school." Naruto replied.  
"Naruto, I could have a chat with them you know?"  
"If you interfere things will get worse. I don't need you to look after me. Besides, there has never been a time when they didn't hate me. If I wasn't used to it by now, something would have to be wrong. Don't worry Iruka-sensei. I'm fine."  
"As your teacher it's my duty to watch out for you."  
"Don't lie." the teen smiled. "You look at me as more than just your student. And that's ok, but I'm fine this way. It's made me who I am. And I love myself."  
"You have your own way with words…"  
"But it's true! I'm good-looking, blonde, tanned, I have the bluest eyes in school and I'm smart…well…maybe not smart, but I'm clever and cunning! How could I _not_ love me?"  
Iruka laughed. "Don't get too full of yourself, it's not good for you."  
Naruto grinned. "You're just jealous because you're getting old."  
"I could lower your grades, brat."  
"Nah, that's not possible." Naruto remarked. "Besides, that's why you put me with Shika right? Because you think he'll be a good influence?"  
"That too. For both you and Sai. And he's…"  
"Neutral? I told you, I don't need a babysitter. But you're forgiven, since he does most of the work."  
Iruka arched an eyebrow.  
"You're contradicting yourself though sensei."  
"Oh?"  
"If you put me with Shika to protect me, why did you stick Sai in our group?"  
"Because Sai needs to improve his grades. And his attitude. If the two of you get to know each other then…"  
"You can't change someone who's a born asshole."  
"Language. You're in school. And maybe that's true, but it's worth a shot. This way he might stop picking on you."  
"Hey, if that's what he wants to do I'm not gonna stop him. It's kinda fun to fight with him actually. That goes for the others too."  
"It sure doesn't look fun when you're alone all the time." the teacher said calmly, looking him in the eyes. "I'm not the only one who's concerned. Tsunade wanted me to take you to her office today, she's keeping a slot open right now so you can come talk to her."  
"No thanks, tell Granny I'm fine. I have to get to the library anyway, but you can come along and treat me to some ramen if you want?" he flashed an innocent grin.  
"Sorry, I have papers to mark. Tomorrow. And don't call her that, she's the principal! Show some respect."  
"No can do. She _is_ like a granny!" Naruto jumped off of the desk. "I need to get going. Send her my regards!"  
"Alright. You're off the hook."  
"Remember, you promised. Ramen tomorrow."  
"Yes yes, just get going." he said, watching as the blonde teen strode through the door.  
He really did worry too much. Naruto was strong and confident, and was never one to care about what others said. But still, it pained him to see the boy being alienated by the others. 

Naruto stopped as he heard a voice from behind, calling him.  
"You're still here?" he asked.  
"Nah, I came back." Sai replied. "Had to get something."  
Naruto said nothing, and kept walking.  
"Hey," Sai walked next to him. "When you're working on something it's important to really get into the stuff you're working with right? To get to know the subject very well?"  
"I guess." Naruto replied.  
"I suppose you already know that tribal people live by lakes and such then." Sai smirked. "Let's see if your fishing skills are as good as theirs!" he tripped the blonde, and nudged him hard in the ribs, throwing him off balance.  
Naruto staggered, and fell face first into the fountain.  
He looked up, squinting behind the wet strands of hair that covered his eyes. He saw Sai smirking. "You're not very graceful, not at walking nor fishing."  
"Fuck you Sai." the blonde stood up.  
A few people had stopped to look. Snickers were heard, but no one said anything.  
Picking up his bag, Naruto headed for the gates, almost knocking Sai over as he passed him.  
"See you tomorrow, partner!" Sai smiled.  
Naruto glared straight ahead and hoped that his books weren't too soaked.

* * *

TBC 


	2. Ichigatsu part 2 Gaara

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters. I make no profit.

If I owned them I wouldn't need profit, the smut would be more than enough! q

**Further notes:**

Sorry for the delay! But I've been real busy over the past month and a half with NaNoWriMo and Christmas preparations. On top of that submission system still scares me beyond belief xD (I hate how it autoformats xx and I've given up on formatting it myself, it takes too long!)  
Also, I don't think this chapter has been beta'd yet...

This IS a SasuNaru, you'll just have to wait a bit for the good stuff. First, I try to create a decent mood for the story.

Thanks for reading!

**Gaara**

Naruto dragged himself up the stairs.

After walking halfway through town in his soaked clothes, which had just dried after this morning, he'd turned into a popsicle. He was so cold he could barely feel his toes.

"I'll kill Sai." he muttered, cursing under his breath as he stepped through the door to his room.

He threw his bag on the bed closest to the window, the one that was his.

On the other, Gaara was reading a book.

The red-head looked up as he came in.

"They threw you in the fountain again?" he asked.

"What do you think?" Naruto snarled, throwing his wet sweater and shirt to the floor.

"I don't see why you don't just kill that idiot Sai already."

"Gaara." Naruto frowned. "All of us can't walk around slaughtering people we don't like."

"Like you don't want to." Gaara turned his attention back to the book.

Naruto shook his head. "I'm having a shower."

"Alright, I'll be nice and warn you; everyone has showered today, so be quick or you'll freeze to death."

"I'm already halfway there." the blonde said, tossing a towel over his shoulder as he left the room.

With the water streaming down his face and body, Naruto felt himself thaw and grow warm again. His feet prickled in a icy cold and painful way as the feeling came back in them.

He thought about what Iruka-sensei had said, about how he must be feeling lonely.

And he thought about Gaara, and how much worse he must be feeling.

Gaara was even more of an outcast than Naruto was.

Although, Gaara had family. He had two older siblings, who both cared about him. But the quiet red, he never showed any affection back.

The boy known as Sabaku no Gaara, given name just Sabaku Gaara, and Naruto had known each other for years.

Both of them were orphans.

They'd been sharing this room in the orphanage for about three years now.

When Naruto first came here, Gaara had been very quiet and reserved. He'd stayed near his two siblings, but hardly ever spoke to the two of them either.

At first, Naruto had thought he was just shy. But that was before he'd seen his eyes.

Even though he was so young back then, Naruto had understood that those eyes had seen too much. There was a twisted tint in those light green eyes that you don't find in children's eyes.

As they grew older, Gaara's issues became more prominent.

He was known for his temper; even when he appeared totally calm he could suddenly explode. And when Gaara exploded, he was dangerous.

There was something in his brain that just snapped and sent him into such blind rage sometimes that he even scared the adults.

On the other hand, he was actually very sensitive, it was just that he had a hard time expressing it, and so when other kids started picking on him, his sadness gradually evolved into hatred.

In later years Naruto had learned that Gaara's mother had passed away when she gave birth to him. His father had apparently never been able to forgive him for this; as if it was Gaara's fault. He blamed his own child, and in the end tried to kill him. The deed was prevented, when a friend of the family walked in on them, but before the Child Protective Services had been able to do anything about the matter, Gaara's father had committed suicide.

The three kids had been sent off to live with their uncle.

From what had been told, Gaara had loved this man. He'd always light up in a smile when he was nearby. And his uncle had seemingly loved all three of them, and treated them as his own kids. Until he too had turned on them, and no one knew why. All that was known was that ultimately he too had tried to take Gaara's life. If it was because he blamed the death of his brother and his wife on the child, or if there was another reason, no one knew.

He hadn't succeeded. Gaara had in a fit of rage over being betrayed, as well as in terror, defended himself, and ended up stabbing his uncle to death.

To this day Naruto still didn't know the details.

But after this Gaara and his siblings had been sent off to the orphanage, and Gaara's personality gradually started to change.

When info on his past leaked out, and kids started calling him 'monster' his behavior changed for real. At the age of eleven he'd reached the point where he grew violent.

He was taken out of school multiple times. In the end they had him going to a child psychologist once a week. The teachers claimed he had 'adaptation difficulties' and suggested that it was better for him to be in a smaller class, with fewer kids.

That didn't work out either. Gaara was quiet, enclosed and hostile.

He'd snap for anything.

Finally, at the age of twelve, he was taken out of school for good.

He still had home-schooling, being taught by Shizune, one of the women who worked at Naruto's school as well as volunteered to help out at the orphanage.

Once, after Gaara had almost strangled a fellow classmate to death, Naruto had talked to him.

He had told him that he knew of his past, and understood why he was angry. In turn he had told Gaara of his own memories.

He remembered how Gaara had seemed to take these words to heart; his look had softened, he had asked questions.

Naruto remembered himself wondering why everyone was so scared of this boy.

He was just sad. Gaara was broken in the way that Naruto never would be.

Nothing could fix this void in the redhead it seemed, but Naruto did a fine job at keeping him calm. Gaara had taken a liking to him, even considered him as a friend.

During the day, when they were apart he would be his usual self. Most of the kids were still afraid of him, his reputation ran before him and even adults were cautious, but when Naruto was around he changed. At least he was calmer, and with Naruto he was friendly.

The two of them were the same, Gaara had realized that, and in a way clung to the one person he believed didn't think of him as a monster. Not that he thought that his siblings felt that way, but he felt like there was a wall between them, like there was no way they could ever be close. Maybe it was because they were his blood and he was afraid they'd betray him as well?

Naruto didn't know what was going on inside of his friend's head.

Now, after both Kankuro and Temari had turned eighteen and left the orphanage, Gaara had become even more dependant on him. Not that he was weak, but it seemed like their friendship was the only thing that kept Gaara from going insane.

In a way, Naruto felt the same way. Though he never let himself crumble before the hateful glares, and never let anything get to him, it felt nice to come back home and be able to talk to someone who understood what it was like, and who saw past what he'd heard.

Naruto somewhat wished that Gaara had been in his class, or at least went to his school.

He coped well by himself, but he wouldn't mind having a real friend around from time to time.

These days he worried slightly. Only months from now he would be eighteen and that meant he'd have to leave the orphanage, which had been his home for so many years now. Sure, he was sick of it, but the thought of leaving this place behind kinda scared him. And he was worried about his friend. Gaara was still just sixteen. The boy would have to stay for two more years. How would Naruto's departure affect him?

He knew he was in no position to be worrying about others, but he couldn't help it.

That made him think.

Hadn't Gaara really been a sort of replacement?

Hadn't there been…someone?

Before he came here. That other place. Where was that?

He turned around, leaning his head on the tiles. "Why am I remembering this now?" he asked himself.

For a brief moment he thought he saw a flash of a faint memory; of someone he'd depended on back then. He thought he saw black hair and dark eyes. But… Who was this other person?

He knew his name, he knew that years and years ago this person had been important to him. But the pieces wouldn't fit. He couldn't place them together.

There had been… someone in another time.

Who was this other person he remembered, that had disappeared and been overshadowed by Gaara?

Suddenly he noticed that he was freezing again. The water had gone cold.

He turned the faucet and stepped out of the shower.

The memory he just thought he'd seen in his mind was gone, like it had never been there in the first place.

"_Did I fall asleep?" _he wondered.

* * *

Walking down the street the next day he was still wondering, his mind trying to piece pieces together. It was like a huge part of his memory had fallen out. This was something he should remember. 

It bothered him.

Usually when he walked like this he was able to ignore the stares and whispers. And today he was so deeply engulfed in his own thoughts that he barely checked if the light was green before crossing the street. And yet there was one conversation that though spoken quietly, might as well could have been screamed out as he walked by.

Two ladies were discretely pointing at him as he passed them.

"What exactly happened to him? Since he lives there?"

"Well, you heard about his father, didn't you?!"

"Of course. But…. Doesn't he have a mother?"

"No one has seen her for sixteen years. She disappeared. Can you blame her? Living with such a man? Under those conditions, is there really such a wonder she left them both behind?"

Those words, they were also from that time.

He remembered that he'd overheard someone say something like that. He could remember that he thought a lot about those things back then, when he was at that other place.

And he could remember a look that understood, even though he hadn't said a word.

He remembered a white wall and a sinking sun, and pinky fingers that were twined together. But the one he was with… the face was blurred and yet he saw it clearly, the name lay on the tip of his tongue and yet he couldn't remember.

Iruka was already waiting for him when he arrived at Ichiraku's.

"Good morning."

"It's two pm."

"And knowing you, you just got up." the teacher smiled.

"Yeah… I did." Naruto grinned. "And I'm hungry, so I hope you brought enough cash!"

"You're ruining me."

"You offered to treat me. You should know by now what that means."

* * *

Gaara observed the life out on the street from his window. 

He knew that Ichiraku's was only a few blocks down the road.

As usual Naruto had been so cheery when he left. But he knew that the blonde was brooding something. He could see it. Gaara always noticed these things.

The reason had to be that he had studied Naruto for so long. It was strange to see someone who had experienced as much pain as he had, and still was so happy. Naruto would often seem not to have a care in the world. But it hadn't always been like that. In the past he had used to fool himself into thinking that it was that way. Naruto had pretended like he was fine until he believed it himself. And after so many years of watching him conceal his true emotions, Gaara could always tell when Naruto wasn't sincere. At times even before Naruto had even considered it himself.

Was this the case today? Or did Naruto actually wander around with something on his mind?

Gaara reckoned that if he did, he would tell his teacher.

That was another thing he found strange, and maybe even envied somewhat.

Naruto had suffered great loss and tragedy, he'd been betrayed and ridiculed. Why was it then that he could place all of his trust in this teacher? At times they almost seemed like father and son, and Gaara just couldn't understand how Naruto could allow himself to act this way and show these feelings. What if he was scarred again?

He, like everyone else, knew about Naruto's past.

It was something that always seemed to be the talk of the town: How the Uzumaki's had been such a perfect couple, or seemed like it anyway.

Then, before they had their child, strange things had started to happen around town. Young girls were going missing. Dead bodies were found, and no one knew what had happened.

Panic had started to spread. Women stayed in at night, the police investigated twenty four/seven and yet, there were no clues, and the incidents kept happening. More girls disappeared.

In the middle of all of this, Naruto had been born.

And while everything should be bliss and happiness, Mrs.Uzumaki seemed to get thin and pale. She looked unhappy and as people spotted bruises and scars on her arms and legs, sometimes in her face, the rumors started flying.

Shortly after the news told that she had left. She had left everything behind. No one knew where she had gone. The most disturbing fact was that she'd left her son behind.

Naruto had lived with his father for four years.

During those four years killings and kidnappings happened with moderate intervals. The city was still living in fear for their daughters' lives.

It was around the fall that year that the Uzumaki's neighbors noticed that there had been no sight of Naruto for several days. At the same time, others had observed that Mr.Uzumaki was acting strange lately, and some had even heard weird sounds from their house.

He was a relatively young man, so at first they had assumed he had friends over, or played loud music or movies. Still, it was strange that he'd do things like that with a child in the house.

In the end one of the neighbors called the police to have them check up on things. She was worried about the two of them, especially Naruto.

It was then that the shocking truth was discovered: The Uzumaki's house had deteriorated dramatically. Inside the wallpaper was hanging off the walls. There was garbage and mess everywhere. A pipe had sprung leak in the bathroom. Disturbingly, blood spatter was found on some of the walls.

When the investigators reached the basement, they found two girls, unconscious and tied up. Three were hidden in the freezer, dead.

The mystery had been cleared, and the person least suspected had turned out to be the criminal.

Mr.Uzumaki was found on the basement floor, in a puddle of blood. Apparently he was already dead from bloodloss. He'd hurt his head in a fall, caused by his drunken state.

The rest of the house was searched, and the local area. Several remains of beaten and raped girls were found.

The last place they searched was a hidden door in the basement. Once it was open the hot air streamed out from the enclosed space. It reeked of mildew and moist soil.

That was where they had found the child. Huddled in a corner in the darkness, shivering, cold, beaten, half starved and barely conscious, Naruto had been rescued, put in the hospital and later sent to the orphanage. Back then people had actually pitied him. But then, once the shock had somewhat passed, and they realized what had really happened. The name Uzumaki became a symbol of suffering and loss. Naruto was innocent, but in the rage and hatred that was a fact that was forgotten. Because he carried the name and the blood flowed in his veins, Naruto became a victim from the gossip and the freezing cold. It grew worse as the years passed, and peaked. This was how it was now; they ignored and mocked. The fact that he seemed unaffected only seemed to piss them off.

Because his father had died and never got to repent for his crimes, they seemed determined to make Naruto suffer, to spill his blood in his father's place.

Gaara shuddered. Even if he knew all those details he knew that it was merely the sugar-coated version and that things had been a lot worse than that. In a way that was even worse than his own story. And still Naruto had turned out the way he was.

He wondered if it was the thoughts of this that spun around in Naruto's mind lately.

He didn't like being left out of his friend's life. It was like what they shared was fading away, because they were so different now. As if it wasn't bad enough that they already would have to part for real in only a few months.

"Gaara?"

He turned, looking at Shizune.

"Wouldn't you like to come outside?"

He shook his head. "I'm fine."

"Then, at least come downstairs. You have visitors."

He sighed. Temari and Kankuro visited frequently. They were feeling guilty about leaving him behind, he knew that. Not half as bad as he felt for not acting the way he should towards them though. But there was just no way he could let his guard down to them, or anyone else.

Trust and loss were two things that seemed to go hand in hand, so he stayed away.

"Fine. I'll be down in a minute."

He'd been permitted to go with his siblings when they moved out. But after many discussions with Shizune, the president of the orphanage and that damn psychologist they still forced him to see, it had been decided that it was better if he moved out later, once his siblings were fully established and he had calmed down some more.

He didn't mind. He was fine this way.

Even if he felt bad, at least he had the one person he could talk to around. For now anyway.

* * *

"You look thoughtful?" 

"Hmm?" Naruto slurped up the last of his ramen. "Oh. Well…There's something I've been thinking about lately…."

"What?" Iruka asked, frowning as the teen asked for seconds.

"Do you remember that first place they sent me to?"

Iruka's look darkened.

"Yes."

"I've thought about it, and…There's so much I can't remember from the time there."

"Some things are better left forgotten."

"Yeah, but… It's not the place itself, or a certain incident. It's a person."

"Person?" the teacher tilted his head.  
"Yeah. I vaguely remember someone there who was…kinda what Gaara is to me now. Like someone I felt like I couldn't live without back then, because I was so dependant on him."

"Really?"

Naruto nodded. "But…I can't remember him. I can see his face, but it's blurred. I can sense him somehow… but still. And I don't seem to be able to remember his name either."

"And this person was important to you?"

"Yeah. I think so. I mean, it feels like it." Naruto's blue eyes gazed questioningly at the young teacher. "But you don't remember either?"

"No…I'm sorry Naruto."

"That's ok. I didn't think you would. There were so many other things you had to deal with…Right?"

"Yeah, when I learned what kind of place they had put you in….I could hardly believe it! They beat the children!" his voice faded. "Children who had suffered enough already. They were rescued, and placed there so they would feel safe and loved, but instead…"

"Yeah. And that's what I'm thinking too…You got me out of there before it got ugly. You managed to find me a home. But the others… So I suddenly started thinking about that place, and him. What do you think happened? Do you think he stayed?"

"I…don't know Naruto."

Iruka's heart sank. He was the one who had found Naruto that day thirteen years ago. Ever since then he'd felt a special need to protect him from all harm. He had never been able to take Naruto in. First he had been too young, and then he didn't want to tear up his roots. He seemed to thrive at the orphanage, even though it was crowded and cramped.

It was especially after discovering the dreadful conditions at the first orphanage the government had sent him to, which in many ways reminded him of a workhouse from an 1900's novel.

The children were beaten and yelled at.

There wasn't much stability and love, that was for sure. Shocked by his discovery he had spent every waking hour trying to find a way to have Naruto transferred.

After that he had always kept an eye out for him.

It was true like they said; he had fatherly feelings for the blonde teen. And so, he hated letting him down like this.

"I'm sure…" he started. "That there are ways to find out where he is now, but without even a name…It's too hard."

"I thought so." Naruto sighed.

"Why did you remember this all of a sudden?" Iruka asked.

"I don't know. But it just won't leave me alone." the teen replied.

"I will do my best to try and figure it out." Iruka promised, knowing that the chances were slim. Very slim.

* * *

Temari and Kankuro were there when Naruto got back. 

"Hey guys!" he beamed.

They smiled.

Gaara glared. "Why are you two still here?"

"Because," his sister said. "You told us to ask Naruto."

"Ask me what?" Naruto slouched in the worn couch.

Kankuro chuckled. "Why my brother has no eyebrows."

"Oh, that…" Naruto grinned sheepishly, rubbing his neck.

"Well?" Temari leaned forward.

Gaara shot him a warning glare.

Naruto ignored him. "Ok…Don't laugh. Or, laugh if you want to, but he'll get mad…"

He leaned back. "I had this chemistry assignment, right? And I asked Gaara to help me…And somewhere along the way I must have used the wrong chemical. There was a little…erm…explosion, and it kinda fried Gaara's eyebrows."

Kankuro snickered and Temari burst out laughing.

Gaara snarled.

"He wasn't happy, to put it that way." Naruto continued. "So to cheer him up I offered him some love."

"Is that why he has that kanji on his forehead?"

Naruto nodded proudly. "Love Naruto style."

"In permanent marker." Gaara muttered.

His siblings laughed harder.

The red head stood abruptly and left the room.

"Fucking idiots." they heard him mutter as he went up the stairs.

"He's in a good mood today." Temari stated.

"Isn't he? He's been very calm lately." Naruto agreed.

Gaara seemed angry just about constantly, but this was a good day. On a bad day, depending on his severe mood, even Naruto could think twice before approaching him. If Gaara threw a real tantrum, when his mind clicked, no one dared come close to him. But it was a long time since he last had one of those fits now.

The guests left, Naruto went upstairs.

Gaara was on the bed. His eyes were closed, but that meant nothing. Gaara could be sleeping when you thought he was wide awake, and the exact opposite.

Naruto swore that the boy could sleep with his eyes open.

"You mad?" he asked carefully.

"Nah." Gaara mumbled,

So he was awake then.

Gaara sat up.

"What about you? Are you ok?"

"Yeah."

"Really? You look troubled."

"Nah, don't worry. I'm remembering things again."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No, I'm fine." Naruto flashed him a grin.

Gaara shrugged. "Alright."

"Wanna help me with something?"

Gaara looked suspicious.

"Don't worry." the blonde laughed. "It won't involve acid, fires or explosions. I just need you to help me out with the project."

"Fine." Gaara agreed.

The last two weeks of January seemed to pass way too quickly. Shikamaru kept reminding him how little time they actually had to finish the project. About ten times an hour he'd state how 'troublesome' the whole thing was. And Naruto would remind him that _he _was the one who had wanted this topic to begin with. There was never a real reply.

The bright side on the other hand was, one; it was nice to be able to talk to someone at school without fighting. And two; Sai barely showed up. Projects would always mean that he ran off somewhere, 'working'. When he did show up though, he was nasty as always. Naruto answered him just as poisonous.

They'd spend any minute they found exchanging insults and glares. A few times it nearly turned into a full-fledged fistfight. Iruka's tolerance-plan had definitely failed.

The work piled up. As soon as Naruto thought they were done, Shikamaru gave new orders.

Sai was doing sketches like mad it seemed. They never _saw_ him draw anything, but every time he showed he'd present new sheets of paper, ready to be scanned into the final product.

On top of that, the other teachers were giving out homework like crazy as well. Orochimaru was now up to giving at least one quiz per week. Preferably two if he felt sadistic enough.

The whole class was in a frenzy, walking around like zombies.

Naruto was his usual self; grinning, joking and plain pissing people off even more.

Not only was he a freak, but he had to be the world's happiest when they were all living dead.

Accuses and arguments filled the air every day, statements were made and overruled.

And no one, no one was able to bring him down, as usual.

Not until he fell asleep, and dreams of the past caught up with him.

Soon, the calendar showed February.

* * *

TBC 


	3. Nigatsu

-Disclaimer: No, they're not mine. I'm poor and mooch off my parents for a living. The man with the money is Kishimoto-sensei. Sadly, he doesn't let the boys engage in yaoiistic activities, so I'm doing it for him. -

Other notes: Don't worry. There will be SasuNaru. It's good to be patient.

Actually, I'm not patient either… xD I'm itching to get down to business. But I guess I need to lay the outlines first. .;;

Ah well, I hope you'll enjoy the chapter anyway.

* * *

**Nigatsu **

"Uzumaki!"

Naruto stirred, snapped his gaze up abruptly and let it meet with Mizuki's scowl.

"Tell me you were not sleeping in my class."

"I wasn't."

"Then please answer the question I asked you five minutes ago."

"Err…" Naruto chewed his lip. "England?"

"Yes, Hong Kong became independent from it's English reign, but in which _year _Uzumaki?"

"Uhm…"

"You were sleeping weren't you?"

"Well, I sat up late working on the project for Iruka's class. So I'm a bit tired today, sorry."

"Boo-frickin'-hoo." Mizuki snarled. "If you can't juggle your schoolwork properly, then that's your loss. But no one sleeps in my class Uzumaki. Remember that."

"Yes." he yawned.

Mizuki glared, but said nothing.

As he again faced the black board one could vaguely hear him mutter something about ungrateful runts and lousy paid jobs.

Later, when he walked down the hall, Shikamaru caught up to him. Nonchalantly he walked by his side. Naruto's next class was A math, the simplest of the three courses they taught at the school. Shikamaru was in the hardest class of course, in the classroom across the hall.

As they parted he turned to Naruto, giving him a friendly smile. "Hey, I appreciate your hard work, but don't wear yourself out, ok? There's still four more weeks left. Don't let your other grades suffer because of this assignment. If you screw up, I have a few aces up my sleeve that may save us." he gave Naruto a light pat on the shoulder. "Don't sweat it ok? No need to offer Mizuki you head on a silver plate."

Naruto just stared at him, dumbfounded.

"Later." Shikamaru went into his class.

Naruto was left in the hallway, frozen in his tracks. It was strange, he thought, that someone treated him _nicely_ at school. He smiled, even when you didn't feel flat out lonely, it felt good not to be alone.

"Out of the way freak." someone grumbled as they brushed past him and went through the same door Shikamaru had just closed.

"Jerk." Naruto scowled, hoping his glare would burn holes in the guy's back.

Muttering, he retreated to his own classroom.

"Naruto," Shikamaru nearly scared him half to death when he was suddenly standing behind him in the line at lunch hour.

"Woah! You scared me Shika!"

Shikamaru frowned. "Listen, come over to our table. There's some things I wanna discuss with you."

"Sure." Naruto grinned.

No one ever invited him over to their table, not since elementary school, when they only did it to pour his milk all over his lunch. Still, he wasn't worried. Shikamaru was a nice guy, and it was probably about the project. Even if someone over there were planning to make a laughing stock of him, he knew how to cope.

They made for the table. Shikamaru's group (though he rarely said much to any of them as if even speaking was troublesome) were always seated at the third table from the counter, close to the window.

Ino, Chouji, Sakura, Hinata, Shino and Kiba were already seated.

Their eyes followed Naruto as he came over and sat with them, right across the table from Shika.

"What's he doing here?" Ino asked.

"He's having lunch with us obviously."

"Why?"

"Because we have a project to discuss." Shikamaru said calmly, separating his chopsticks. "Ah, here comes the missing link now."

Sai stopped, sneering. "Well, lunching with people today Naruto? Aren't you lucky?"

Naruto turned a deaf ear.

"I didn't know you guys were into charity?" the raven continued, smirking.

"Fuck off Sai." Kiba growled.

"Actually, he has to stay a little longer."

They looked over at Shikamaru.

"How much have you finished?"

"I'm about halfway done…" Naruto said thoughtfully.

Sai didn't say much. No one expected him to. He wasn't much of a team-player, they all knew that.

"Okay, I'm just about done. But I was thinking, since we're getting close to the deadline, we should get together and discuss which way to present it. And then we should rehearse it."

"Ack… So much work." Naruto frowned. "Isn't this…you know, troublesome?"

"More than you know, so I just want to get it over with."

"You suck." Sai stated.

"Whatever. So I'm just making a suggestion here.. We should meet outside of school. Like at my house. My mother is troublesome but Naruto's-"

"is non-existent?" Sai snickered at his own funniness.

Naruto's blood was boiling. His mother was missing, and no one knew where she was. He didn't miss her, nor did he know if he'd ever forgive her for walking out on him, but he wanted to wring Sai's neck for having made that statement.

He wanted to grab him by the collar and shake him, make that smug smirk fade from his face.

But years of coping with these situations had gained him the ability to hold back and stay out of fights. Rarely did he allow himself to be affected to the point where he'd actually show aggression and fight back.

But damn, he wanted to break Sai's nose right now!

He clenched his fists, stood up.

"What's the matter?" Sai probed. "It's not like we don't know that you're a poor orphan who lives with a bunch of brats and a psycho."

"Gaara's not a psycho." Naruto glared at him.

"Oh, did I hit a sore spot?"

"Fuck you Sai."

"That's more than enough." Shikamaru broke them off. "As long as we're doing this thing together, we are going to get along. Remember why Iruka-sensei put the two of you in the same group. Tolerance." he looked from one to the other. "At least _try_ to show some."

"Tch," Sai scoffed.

"Well, it's settled then? Naruto's house is not convenient, and I'm not stepping inside of Sai's nest. We'll go to my place tomorrow and work."

"Fine by me." Naruto sat back down.

"Show if you want to. If you don't, we're fine by ourselves." Shikamaru informed calmly as Sai walked away from their table.

"Whatever."

"My God he's an ass!" Kiba exclaimed.

The rest of the group quietly agreed.

"I'm sure he's a very sad and lonely person underneath that slippery surface." Naruto said sarcastically, lifting a spoonful of curry to his lips.

They didn't answer.

He cocked an eyebrow.

When he thought about it, this group was never amongst the rudest. They mostly stayed neutral, saying nothing and thus neither adding to the harassment, or preventing it.

Ino and Sakura were the two only exceptions, but they were always speaking their mind to everyone anyway, so even if they snapped at him it was more of a 'them' thing rather than a 'we hate Naruto' thing.

He concentrated on his meal.

With his eyes no longer watching them, the other teens began to talk again.

"Man!" Kiba shouted. "I just wanna wring that Sai's neck! Who does he think he is anyway?!"

"I think he's got a superiority complex."

"No shit?!"

"Leave it be, Sai is a bastard and we all know it. Even the other assholes stay away from him. He's just…."

"An eyesore."

"Isn't that strange though? How everyone finds him an eyesore, and sure he deserves it, but there are other people in this school who are treated the same way, without ever having done anything."

Eyes shifted to glance at Naruto.

He pretended not to notice.

"The mob decides." Shikamaru shrugged.

"Do you think that's right?" Sakura asked. "That perfectly normal people have to suffer when bastards like him walk around and think they own the world?"

"That makes no sense."

"Shut up Ino. What I mean is that no matter if we treat Sai like the jerk he is, his attitude won't change. But the others that are tormented without having done anything are broken down to pieces. If something is going to change around here, that's where we should start."

"I…I t-think that…." Hinata's thin voice drowned in the buzz of voices.

"Iruka-sensei wants us to learn about societies. Well, I know enough about them to say that this school is one dysfunctional society!"

"Things are what we make them." Shino mumbled behind the collar of his jacket.

Naruto eyed him carefully.

Honestly, the guy creeped him out. He was silent, swift like a shadow and appeared behind you when you least expected it. His eyes were always hidden behind the pair of black sunglasses, and he was always calm and collected.

The blonde found it strange that he was friends with the loud and hyper Kiba.

The two of them were polar opposites, but seemed to be close friends. Even if Kiba always was the one who did most of the talking, and stirred up life around them.

The group all went silent for a few seconds. Shino's words had been directed to them as well.

They all probably knew what he meant.

Naruto did too. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

He felt uncomfortable now, sitting there with them. Because they were uncomfortable with the situation themselves. By accepting him to their table they had broken an unwritten rule.

All of them had such strong personalities. They were all very different from each other, but seemed to be a tight bunch. It was strange, how a group of strong people like these guys could crumble under the pressure of others.

* * *

Naruto still thought about it as he went into his next class.

He'd left the others at their table, mostly for their sake. So they wouldn't have to spend too much time with him and risk to be picked on as well.

He endured it well, but he didn't want to expose others to it, and besides, he didn't want to intrude.

Things were changing though. He could sense it.

Neither of his fellow classmates that had been seated at that table had seemed hostile in any way. And Shikamaru spoke to him like they'd known each other for years already. Well…They had known each other for quite some time, but they'd never really talked. Nothing apart from trivial school business had been discussed between them until now.

He noticed that the day went by quicker when there was someone to talk to.

It even helped him push away the thoughts that were gnawing in the back of his mind.

Shika's house wasn't big. It was a regular-sized home, with a small yard and an old, rusty gate.

His mother greeted them in the hall.

"Welcome home." She smiled, before cautiously eyeing Naruto.

She knew who he was of course, but at least had the common courtesy to pretend like it didn't matter. Without comments or questions she disappeared into the kitchen.

"We'll head upstairs and get to work. She'll be up soon with food."

Naruto grinned. "Great. What about Sai?"

"Did you expect him to show?"

"Not really."

"Case closed then." Shikamaru said, heading up the stairs.

In Shikamaru's room, Naruto took a seat in an old chair. Shikamaru himself sat down on the chair in front of the computer.

"Alright, let me see what you've got." he said.

Naruto pulled the folder containing his notes and print-outs out of his backpack and handed them to the brunette.

"Nice." Shikamaru said. "Less work for me then, though it looks like I'll be doing Sai's part too. He'll get away with only the illustrations." he sighed. "Really, that guy is a pain in the ass."

"Tell me about it." Naruto frowned.

"You know, Naruto…" Shikamaru looked over at him, turning around on the chair. "I don't think you're a bad guy."

"I know."

"Yeah? I don't mind you at all, but I don't care much for interfering in other people's affairs. And you seem to be doing well on your own."

"Yeah. It's not like I'm not used to people putting me down." Naruto replied. "And if this is an apology you don't have to worry about it. I know that you're not one to just strike up a conversation. I've always thought of you as a reserved type of guy."

Shikamaru smiled slightly. "Heh, yeah. I'm fine with things the way they are too, but it doesn't hurt to get to know you better. I don't think you deserve to be ignored and stepped on all the time anyway."

Naruto flashed him a grin. "You know, I totally agree with that." he laughed. "Well, let's get to work, ok? I have to be back by five. It's my turn to help with dinner, so I can't be late."

After his first visit to Shikamaru's house, Naruto found that he actually had a friend at school now. And with that he was invited over to the table by the window every day.

Gradually the rest of the group opened too.

It was like they had completely forgotten that neither of them had spoken to Naruto much, if at all, through the time they had known him.

It had struck more than one of them how forgiving he was, and it made them feel guilty. They hadn't bullied him or been straight out cruel, but they still were responsible for the loneliness they were sure he'd felt.

Still they didn't know him well, but with more than one barrier already broken, it shouldn't be too hard to cross more borders and find out who Uzumaki Naruto was.

The _real_ Naruto.

They were ready to put aside all the things they had heard and all the opinions they had made earlier, and get to know him.

Naturally, this didn't go unnoticed.

If possible, Naruto got even more attention now.

The negative kind of course.

If he walked down the hall he'd hear the usual whispers and notice how people pointed. Someone would call out; "Don't think you're anything special, freak!"

"Who do you think you are?!"

"You're in the way. Move."

"Don't strut around like you own the place, _Uzumaki_…"

Such trivial comments meant nothing.

He overheard them, ignored them and walked on.

The difference from before was only that now and again someone would step up for him.

He'd hear someone shout; "Stop being so childish!" or "What did Naruto ever do to you?!"

Sakura and Ino were especially two who gave the worst jerks a piece of their mind.

And that, _that _caught their attention.

Whenever one, or both of the girls were around when someone started putting down Naruto they'd snap back. At first it seemed to startle whoever their yelling was directed at, but only for the first two days or so, then it started to piss people off.

The fact that Naruto had people who stood up for him, that dared to come out in the open and say that they actually liked him, it pissed them of to the point where there was no comparison.

The week after Naruto first became friendly with Shikamaru and his friends, all of hell broke loose at Konoha High.

* * *

Monday February 6th started out perfectly normal, with Naruto rushing to school, trying not to slip and fall as he dashed down the still ice-covered street.

Amazingly enough, thanks to a traffic-jam further up the street, he got to school in time.

He rushed through the doors five minutes before the bell rang, only to find himself wishing that he'd been late.

Around the corner by his locker someone was waiting for him.

Four of the guys who were the most notorious members of the 'torture Uzumaki Naruto' crusade.

"Well….Good morning, _Uzumaki_." the first one sneered poisonously.

Naruto barely looked up, he plowed his way through the group, making for his locker.

"Get lost." he muttered.

"Oh, I don't think so."

They blocked his path, crossing their arms over their chests.

The 'leader', to call him by that name, a guy Naruto recognized as one of his senpais, slammed him into the row of lockers.

"So…" he said. "You can't deal with your own problems anymore? You have to have _girls_ look after you now?"

"Huh?!" Someone echoed, another arm reaching out, slamming him harder into the lockers.

He grit his teeth and glared. "What the hell is your problem?!"

"You're our problem!"

"Well I'm sorry, but this is a public school. Don't think I want to be here. But if you hate me so much, why not just stay out of my face?"

"So you think you're a wise guy, huh?"

"You piss me off Uzumaki!"

A balled-up fist hit him in the stomach.

Naruto bit down on his lip, but he endured it, he didn't make a sound.

"Don't think that we'll treat you any better just cause you've got two hot girls on your side!"

Four scowls were directed at him, they moved in closer.

One hand touched his cheek, slid down to his chin and gripped it.

The others held him in place.

"Listen, never ever forget who you are and where you come from." one of the four said in a low threatening voice.

Another punch hit him directly in the stomach. He groaned quietly, falling to the floor as they let go of him.

The leader spat on him.

"…'cos we sure as hell won't, _Uzumaki_."

They turned and left.

"Tch…" Naruto forced himself back onto his legs.

Something told him this wouldn't be his only encounter with these guys.

He was right.

* * *

Tuesday morning they waited for him again. They searched him out when he was on his way to lunch; tripped him on his way into the canteen so he fell face first to the floor, knocking down a bowl of miso soup as he went. It wasn't too hot, as expected from crappy cafeteria food, but it still stained his white shirt.

After that incident it dabbed off a little and they settled for commenting his shirt instead.

Stuff like "Hey, your mother needs to learn how to do laundry!" or "Food goes in the mouth moron!" followed him pretty much until he reached the gates to the orphanage.

Wednesday and Thursday passed in the same manner, with non-stop commenting, someone constantly pushing him or tripping him in the hallway. Anything Naruto said in class was overheard and thereby overruled by the rest of the class. Shikamaru's group's attempts to join in the discussion didn't help much. They had broken the unspoken rule. They were socializing with the outcast. The price they paid for it was being treated the same way themselves.

Then again, freezing out the whole group didn't do much good, _or_ bad. It made no real difference, because they hadn't been that friendly with the rest of the class anyway.

"That's why we'll keep standing up for you." Ino said.

"I don't need you to stand up for me." Naruto grinned. "But, I wouldn't mind getting a date with Sakura-chan?"

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Come on!" Naruto's grin widened. "I'm stepped on and ridiculed remember? I need someone to cheer me up and spoil me!"

"You're hopeless." the pink-haired girl laughed. "Come on girls, we've got to get back to the classroom, cleaning duty you know…"

"See you later guys!" Ino smiled and turned.

"S-see you t-tomorrow…" Hinata stuttered and followed the other two.

"You wanna grab a bite with us?" Chouji asked as the group of boys walked towards the exit.

"Nah," Naruto replied, running his hand through tousles of blonde. "I have to get home and work on my math…And besides, it'd only be uncomfortable for you guys, right? So I'll just see you tomorrow."

Before any of the other boys had had the time to say anything back to him, Naruto had given them a wave and disappeared out the door.

The next day, Friday, Naruto barely made it over to his locker before he was jumped.

His assailants waited for the bell to ring and the hall to get empty before they took their prey into the bathroom.

"Take your time!" Naruto heard from the other side of the door.

"But don't be too late! You don't want to fail this class as well?"

He heard laughing.

Then the sound of the door being locked, from the outside.

Rather than getting pissed off, the blonde found himself wondering where they'd gotten a hold of the keys. When the hallway outside went completely silent he cursed under his breath though.

He glared out the window, confirming like so many times before, what he knew so all too well; he was on the third floor. There was no way he could jump from here.

Besides, this wasn't the first time he'd been locked in here. And he knew from experience that he'd just have to stay put until someone unlocked the door.

That, could take hours. Most students would rather use a different bathroom than having to run all the way to the faculty office and have someone unlock the door for them. Maybe this was partly because most of the students at Konoha High knew who was locked in there, and for all they cared he could rot in there.

"Dammit!" he punched the wall, well-knowing that it wouldn't be of any good at all.

His attention was immediately turned to the door once he heard someone fumble with keys outside. This was unusual; according to Naruto's deduction no more than about forty minutes could have passed.

Normally he'd be stuck in here for at least a few hours.

Hr shrugged, waited for the door to be opened.

"You?" he exclaimed, standing up as he looked at Shino, the other's face hidden behind sunglasses as always.

"Me." Shino replied.

"How come you have the keys?" Naruto asked.

"I'm in the student council."

The blonde accepted the answer, a little perplexed though, this was more than Shino had said all week.

* * *

"Naruto! Where were you?!"

"Relax Iruka-sensei, I'm here now." Naruto replied.

Someone scowled at him from the back row, he flashed them a fox grin and slid down into his seat. "Please, just go on with your lecture."

The teacher presented a worried frown, but turned to the notes on the blackboard again.

"How's your assignment coming?" Iruka asked, not directing the question to anyone in particular.

A low murmur went through the class.

"I'll take that as a good thing."

Naruto glanced over at Shikamaru, who was looking over some stuff he'd printed.

Behind them, Sai was doing something as well, but it was very doubtful that it had anything to do with the project.

Naruto shrugged, at least his part was coming along nicely.

He only hoped they'd be evaluated individually so Sai didn't run them all to the ground.

With Shika in the group, that wasn't very likely, but the jerk still pissed him off.

* * *

"Don't think that you're all high and mighty just because you have friends now."

Sai caught up to Naruto on his way across the school yard. School was out, and everyone was looking forward to a weekend with parties, movies, no school and no homework.

The raven however, almost seemed to dread the upcoming two days, because he wouldn't be able to torment Naruto at all during that time.

"Fuck off Sai." Naruto kept walking.

"There you go again, acting as if you're actually worth something."

There was no response.

Sai took a few quick steps, beginning to walk in front of the blonde, his back turned to the school gates, his eyes digging into Naruto's. "You talk tough, but that's all. You never stand up for yourself."

"So?" Naruto shrugged.

"So? You have no problems with showing the world what a pussy you are?"

"I don't waste my time on bastards like you."

"That's what you say, but isn't the truth really that you're too scared to fight?"

"I don't fight because there is no point to it."

"Because you're so weak?"

"Because I won't stoop down to your level. We're not in grade school anymore, I'm just waiting for the rest of you to realize that. And you," he glared. "Should focus on the project. Whether you like it or not we're a team. If you wanna fight, we'll do it once it's handed in."

"Ooh," Sai gave a short laugh. "Is that a challenge Uzumaki?"

"It's whatever you want it to be. Just do your part of the project and stop trying to split up the group."

Sai kept walking in front of him, eyeing him challengingly. "I don't believe you. I think you're too chicken to fight. And we both know it."

"You know, one wouldn't think you're in high school." Naruto said dryly. "And for your information, I don't like this any more than you do. And I want nothing more than to smash that ugly mug of yours. But I won't. Yet."

"You mean you won't." Sai replied. It seemed he was trying to fire him up. "You'll either chicken out or send that psycho redhead after me."

Naruto's eyes grew dark. "Leave Gaara out of this."

"Oh, he really is your sore spot, isn't he?"

The blonde glared.

"Could it be that you…_like _him?"

"Just what are you trying to do asshole?"

Sai smirked. "It would be a bad move for you to turn gay right about now."

Naruto frowned. "Someone ought to teach you the facts of life. And besides, even if I was, I wouldn't be the only one in this school."

"So? You'd still only make things worse for yourself."

"Look how much I care!" Naruto pushed him out of the way, and continued to walk.

He didn't care. Things were bad, true. Things could get worse, that was also true, but he really didn't care. He was too used to these things to care.

Still, he was stressed. He had to get back home. He had things to do, the project among other things, and though he was used to - and good at putting his urge to crush the face of whoever was bothering him aside, he too had a limit. And Sai was dangerously close to stepping over it. Not because what he did was so much worse than what others had done to him, not because his words were spiteful and aiming to hurt, but simply because he was so persistent and _annoying_.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Sai grabbed his arm, jerking him back.

Naruto turned, glared. "You know, you're _really _starting to piss me off."

"Then why don't you do something about it?"

"You know what? If that's what you want, fine!" Naruto dropped his bag to the ground.

He clenched his fist, swinging it at Sai, hitting the other boy's cheek.

Sai winced, the surprising blow threw him off-balance. As he stumbled, his hand brushed Naruto's arm, his nails leaving scratch marks.

He landed, in the fountain.

His hand went up to his cheek, touching the already reddening skin. "You'll pay for that _Uzumaki."_ he snarled.

"I'll be waiting." the blonde turned once again, picked up his bag and went out into the street.

Sai didn't follow.

Naruto knew that he was probably seething with rage. But the fact was, and everyone knew, that Sai wasn't too much of a fighter. He was a coward.

Their little disagreement wouldn't end with this. Naruto knew that much.

Most likely their next clash would involve more than just the two of them.

* * *

"Today too?" was the first thing Gaara said when Naruto stepped through the door.

Every day this week he'd watched Naruto come home showing clear signs that they'd been at his throat again.

"Did you expect anything else?" Naruto threw his bag on the bed.

The red shook his head. "No, but I didn't expect you to actually fight someone."

Naruto looked at the scratches on his arm.

"Oh that…" he said.

"What happened? You fought with a girl or something?"

"Nope, I punched Sai."

"And he scratched you?!"

"Accidentally. He didn't fight back."

"I told you." Gaara smirked. "He's a wimp, and you should just dispose off him."

"I'm not you." Naruto smiled.

"Still. He deserves it."

"He does. We'll see. I wouldn't mind doing it again." the blonde laughed. "Now come, it's our turn to help with dinner again."

Gaara sighed, but followed him downstairs.

* * *

Moday, February 14th was a day Naruto had no particular feeling for.

Valentines Day. Girls were supposed to give chocolates to the guy they liked.

Then the guy would have to give one back on White's Day.

Naruto'd never been on the receiving end, and he'd given up on giving when he was in grade school. He found it amusing though, to watch.

The popular guys, Neji from the class over him for example, received tons of chocolate each year, which meant they'd be broke after White's Day, when they had to return the favor.

He amused himself with these thoughts, mostly to get through the day.

When he was younger he'd always get down on this day. Shizune would always bring chocolate for the kids at the orphanage, but it wasn't the same.

When the girl you liked rejected you and everyone laughed, because you'd actually thought you'd have a chance…It was easy to start hating Valentines Day.

But Naruto didn't.

He didn't like it. But he didn't hate it.

Sometimes it struck him that maybe he cared too little?

He'd braced himself.

The school would be full of love-struck people by lunchtime.

Somehow, someone would find this as a reason to get him. Like always.

He hadn't been expecting what met him in the hallway though.

Sai was standing there, waiting for him.

His cheek was bruised; a purple shade right under his eye.

"Happy Valentines." he snarled. "I have something for you."

Naruto cocked an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't be so cocky." Sai smirked. "Today, you're going down."

The gang from last week, plus three more came around the corner.

"You've really put your foot in it now." the 'leader' said

"I thought you didn't want to fight? Well, clearly you've changed your mind…you want to fight Uzumaki? Bring it on!"

"Good luck." Sai spat.

Everyone froze in their tracks, stopped on their way to the classrooms, to watch the fight.

The word spread like a wild fire, and kids rushed into the hall from all over school.

It wasn't the first fight involving Uzumaki Naruto and several others, but it never ceased to amaze them how skilled of a fighter Naruto was.

It was so easy to think that the boy was broken and without any backbone at all.

But the way he delivered punches and kicks and still managed to block most of the blows, proved them wrong.

They watched in amazement, wondering why he struck back so seldom. With skills like this, he should just put an end to the bullying himself.

And yet he didn't.

At times like these, there was more than one student who caught him or herself to subconsciously root for the blonde, even though they wanted him to be ripped apart.

And everyone used the same excuse; it was that his way of fighting was so fascinating. They wanted to see his next move. But did they like him?

Hell no!

Even with Naruto's skills, seven guys was a bit too much.

Inevitably, though he knew he'd take them had they been one on one, or even going at him two at the time, Naruto had to give in.

A powerful blow struck him in the jaw, while strong hands slammed into a row of lockers.

The sound echoed in the corridor.

"Bet you regret what you did now punk!" the one holding him spat.

Naruto just glared at him. "It was one of the best moments of my life." he said calmly.

"Why you-" a hand was raised to hit him again.

"ENOUGH!"

The sound of the principal's voice caused the crowd that had assembled in the hallway to shrink. Tsunade was a very strong woman, in more than one way.

And she was intimidating.

The way she stood now, with her hands on her hips, eyes almost black, her thundering voice ordering them to stop…It scared them half to death. The fact that she didn't breathe fire struck them as a wonder.

"Everyone, back to your classrooms. NOW!" she boomed. "And you!" her dark gaze rested on the group by the lockers, including Naruto. "My office."

* * *

Naruto waited outside her office while Tsunade talked to Sai and the others.

He was bored out of his mind.

How long had they been in there now? Thirty minutes? Forty? An hour?

"Jeez…Get it over with Granny!" he muttered.

Now and again she'd shout something. He couldn't make out the words, but he was betting that the crowd in her office was close to pissing themselves by now.

He snickered to himself.

Tsunade was scary.

Luckily she'd probably just bore him with her worries and speeches on how he had to let her know when someone bothered him. She didn't accept bullying of any kind in her domain.

It sounded like they were wrapping it up in there now.

He heard chairs screeching against the floor, and low voices muttering something.

He looked at the door. Nothing happened.

Did she really intend to keep him waiting longer?! He sighed, letting his gaze wander over the corridor he sat in. There were four doors on each side, all of them offices. Further down he could spot the reception desk. It was located in a different room, again with offices on each side, but they weren't visible from here.

He saw Kakashi, the teacher seemed to be coming out of the office on the left, heading for the one straight across from it.

Naruto blinked. Who was that following behind him?

He noticed him because of the jet black, spiky hair. He wore a school uniform. Who was that?

Something in Naruto's gut told him he needed to know, or…that he already knew?

"Naruto, you can come in now."

He'd been so busy staring he didn't realize that Sai and the others had left and that Tsunade was waiting for him to come with her.

Forcing his gaze away from the desk he stood up and followed her inside.

"_Who was that?"_

Iruka was also in Tsunades office.

Naruto sighed as he sat down.

Goody, this meant more worries.

"Naruto, I want you to tell me what that was all about." Tsunade said.

"What do you think?"

"Naruto! Answer properly!" Iruka hissed.

"You already talked to them!"

"They said you started it."

Naruto scoffed. "Oh yeah."

"Did you hit Sai?"

Naruto ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah. On Friday. I got fed up with him. It's an act of revenge I guess?"

"Naruto, are they giving you a hard time again?"

"Iruka-sensei, they're always trying to give me a hard time."

"You have to tell us these things!"  
"Why? It's my problem, I'll deal with it however I want!"

"Wrong!" Tsunade thundered. "This is my school! I need to know these things so I can prevent it! Don't pretend like you're fine with things the way they are!"

"What? They're all still in grade school mentally, and I allow them to be. When I get sick of it, I open a can of whoop-a-"

"This is serious!"

He went quiet. "I have to defend myself, right?"

"In this case you had no choice. But there is no need to pick fights."

"And there is no reason to pretend like they're not bullying you."

"I'm not pretending. I'm just not bothering."

"Obviously you are."

The following hour went on like that. Eventually Iruka brought up the topic of Shikamaru's group and how nice it was that Naruto was finally friendly with someone.

He thought it was nice that they stood up for him.

Naruto on the other hand, told them how pointless that was.

They got nowhere.

They'd been over it before, over and over again.

Finally, Tsunade had to admit defeat. Naruto would never come running to her, or anyone else.

When he left the office she was left rubbing her temples, muttering under her breath.

Just as Naruto was about to head to class, he spotted something on the chair he'd been waiting in. It was a small box, tied with a ribbon, a card attached in one end.

Looking around he picked it up and read the card.

"_Happy Valentines, Naruto." _

He read it over and over.

This was new.

It didn't seem like a joke either.

But who'd give him…?

He didn't recognize the handwriting.

Shrugging, he stuck it in the pocket of his jacket, smiling to himself.

* * *

Two days later, another unexpected thing happened.

It was during Kakashi's class.

The teacher was late as always, and Naruto was struggling to keep awake.

He'd had trouble sleeping at night lately, especially after that day in Tsunades office.

He kept dreaming glints of the past, but he was never able to piece the puzzle together.

He'd see himself from years ago, outside, with the one he couldn't remember.

He heard his voice, saw his face…But when he woke up, usually around twelve times every night, he didn't remember anything but the eyes.

When the classroom door opened, he didn't react.

Neither did he react to the mumbling around him.

He heard words, but they meant nothing. He was already on his way into dream land.

"Who's that?"

"Handsome!"

"Do you know-?"

"He's new…."

"Sorry I'm late." Kakashi's voice was a buzz in the background.

Naruto was snoozing.

There he was again! He saw him now… But still…His vision was blurry.

The boy said something, but Naruto only saw his lips moving. The upper half of his face was blurred out. "Who are you?" he asked.

There was no reply.

Someone poked him.

He opened his eyes, glaring over at Kiba.

Kiba smiled, and jerked his head towards the front of the room.

Naruto yawned.

"_That dream again… Just who IS that kid?! What was his name again? U-something…S-whatever…Suchi? Sachi?"_

"This is our new student, he'll be joining us from today."

Naruto looked lazily to the front of the classroom.

"_S…S…Seigi?"_

"Be nice to him, ok? His name is Uchi-"

"_Uchi? Saki?"_

Naruto's eyes flew open.

"_Sasuke!"_

* * *

TBC 


	4. Sangatsu

**Disclaimer:**

sigh I still don't own anyone…TTTT Especially not Sasuke. bawls

I make no profit.

There will be yaoi. I doubt Kishimoto-sensei would write that. But OOOH how I wish he would! (Lulz, what a huge lie. Chapter 347 people xD)

**Other notes:**

Yay! Sasuke! almost died waiting to be able to include him

Hopefully the story will get a little better from here. Thanks for being patient! .

* * *

**Sangatsu **

Without doubt. That was him.

Uchiha Sasuke.

Sasuke.

How could he forget that name?

Naruto swallowed, hard.

"_Sasuke."_

The person standing in front of the class, next to Kakashi, was the same person Naruto had seen in the office on Monday. It was the same person he'd been dreaming of, seeing in his thoughts without being able to identify him for the past weeks.

But…Uchiha?

He couldn't remember.

He remembered the name now, it was unthinkable that he'd forgotten Sasuke. But that he'd been an Uchiha..? That was one piece of the puzzle Naruto had never known of.

Naruto was staring. He was aware of that. But there was just no way for him to take his eyes off the raven, standing there, with his hands in his pockets, looking straight ahead.

He wasn't the only one, just about every girl in class was staring at Sasuke, unable to look anywhere else.

"Sasuke? Would you like to present yourself, or say something to the class?" Kakashi asked, looking at the newest edition to his class.

Sasuke glared back at him. "Hn."

"Ok….Or not…" Kakashi scratched his silver hair. "Alright…Why don't you just take a seat? The one over there is free."

Sasuke shrugged, heading for the empty desk on the fifth row.

Heads turned as he passed the rows of students.

Sasuke continued completely unaffected, not looking to the left or to the right.

Placing his bag on the desk, he sat down and continued to stare blankly at the blackboard.

"Well then, I hope you will all take good care of him." Kakashi urged. "Now, let's get down to business; Kiba, what's the answer to question eleven?"

"Question eleven?!" the boy shrilled. "What page? Which book? What chapter?!"

"Oh, right… All right class, read pages sixty to seventy one, _then_ answer the questions."

"Jeez sensei…" someone muttered. "What are you on?"

Naruto pretended to be reading, but his mind was elsewhere.

Sasuke was seated behind him, on the left.

Did he recognize him?

He didn't dare to turn around and look at him. There were enough people staring at him already. But his mind was full of questions; Where had Sasuke been all those years? Did he get away from that terrible place? Did he remember?

* * *

He came through the door and kicked his shoes off in the hall.

"Welcome home Naruto nii-chan!"

"Hey kids." Naruto smiled, ruffling a boy called Konohamaru's hair.

He sniffed into the air. "Dinner already?"

"Yeah. Yakisoba."

"Yakisoba eh?" Naruto grinned. "Almost as good as ramen!"

"If you eat more ramen you'll die."

"Nice to see you too Gaara."

Gaara's lip quirked.

Naruto followed him into the kitchen.

Shizune was there, talking to two of the other women who helped take care of the kids. She was carrying books, which meant she was just done with Gaara's private lessons.

"Math test." Gaara mumbled. "Death."

"It wasn't that hard Gaara!"

"I didn't say it was hard. I said that it was death."

"Rigth…" Shizune turned to the blonde, who'd pulled one of the youngest orphans into his lap. "How was school Naruto?"

"Normal. We've got a new class mate though."

"Really?"

Naruto nodded, he went thoughtful again. "Uchiha Sasuke." he said.

The three women stared at him.

"Uchiha?" Gaara repeated.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah."

Of course, that's what they'd react to. They didn't know that Naruto and Sasuke already knew each other. If Sasuke remembered that was.

And he certainly hadn't expressed that in any way.

It was only his first day though, he hadn't really talked to anyone, so Naruto decided to wait and see.

* * *

Sasuke stood in the hall.

He sighed as he closed the door.

"New school, old house…" he said quietly to himself.

It was eerie. Even now, in daylight this house gave him the creeps.

He didn't like it.

He'd been living here for a week now. Nothing had changed.

Everything was like he remembered it, only less lively.

All the furniture and paintings, the piano and the family photos…It was all in the same place.

Family photos….Sasuke shuddered.

It was a mockery. The pictures on the wall told of a happy, close family.

Generations of family members, living together on the estate.

And here he was, alone.

Every room, every piece of furniture in it, told the same story.

No matter where he went he couldn't escape the memories.

The vivid recollection of what had happened years ago was still causing him nightmares.

It was in these walls too.

When the wind blew outside, it sang in the old wooden walls, about the tragedy.

The Uchiha Tragedy was carved into these walls, the story of it written with blood.

When darkness crept up and engulfed the buildings on the estate, Sasuke swore he could hear whispers and mournful groans.

And this was his home.

He grabbed his bag and headed for the kitchen, there was nothing there that tempted him, so he decided to head up to his room, change and then go out again.

Anything was better than staying here.

He hated this house.

The second floor was smaller than the first, it held four bedrooms and a bathroom. As well as a veranda on the east side of the house and a room they'd referred to as 'the library'.

Sasuke stopped outside the third door on his right.

His fingers touched the dark wood carefully.

This was the only room he still hadn't entered. He just couldn't for some reason.

He touched the doorknob gently and pushed the door open.

A small cone of light emitted from the door way, illuminating the room slightly.

The drapes were closed, and the air was hot and suffocating. But nothing had changed. The room was just like it had been years ago. Just like everything else in this house.

Sasuke closed the door gently, leaning his forehead on the doorframe.

"Where are you?" he whispered.

* * *

The word had spread like fire in dry grass; soon all of Konoha knew that the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan was back in town. No one was sure where he had been, but it didn't matter much, as the lack of information gave them more to talk about, and several theories came to the surface.

With the whole population of Konoha discussing Sasuke, Naruto got some peace and quiet.

Not so many stared at him in disgust when he walked past them; they were too busy digging up the old dirt of the Uchiha Tragedy.

Honestly, sometimes Naruto wondered if the whole city was feeding on others misery so they could live.

That being said, it was no wonder really, that they talked, not considering the mysterious tragedy that had struck the noble family.

It just pissed Nauto off that no one seemed to care about other's feelings around here.

Not that Sasuke was the most sensitive person.

The raven had first transferred to his class about a week and a half ago, and though having made quite an impact, he hadn't seemed sincerely interested in anything yet.

No one could blame him, Naruto guessed, with all the talk and everything. But still, it didn't seem like Sasuke cared about it, or anything else for that matter.

He still wouldn't participate in all of the classes, and from what Naruto gathered it had something to do with his old school; they needed him to finish certain assignments or something. He wasn't sure.

What he _was _sure of however, was that during the close to two weeks Sasuke had attended Konoha High, he had looked at him a total of two, maybe three times.

Naruto himself hadn't done much to get Sasuke's attention either though.

He figured that he needed to sort out his thoughts first.

He'd been dreaming about this guy for weeks after all, and then all of a sudden he appeared out of nowhere, as his new classmate! It could give anyone a light case of paranoia.

It was just that...He didn't know what to say.

If he could forget Sasuke's face, and his name, despite the closeness that Naruto's memories told him they had shared when they were younger, then it was just as likely that Sasuke had forgotten too. Maybe even completely.

That first day, when he had been sitting there, pretending to be indifferent as Sasuke sat there just a row behind him, he had appeared calm. But in addition to the millions of thoughts that were spinning in his mind, he had been absolutely dumbstruck.

It didn't seem real at all; that the very person Naruto had been trying so hard to remember, was sitting here now. In the same room as him.

Maybe he was wrong, he caught himself thinking. Maybe Sasuke wasn't at all the person he remembered. But he shook away the thought. It had to be him. There was no way it wasn't.

Years had passed, and still there wasn't a doubt in Naruto's mind when his gaze first rested upon him. It _had _to be him.

Why though, why had Sasuke suddenly appeared here? And why now?

The more Naruto thought of it and strained his brain to figure out an answer, the more he wished he could stop thinking of it.

That was easier said than done though.

Like now, when he was walking down the hallway with Sakura and Ino. All the two girls could talk about was their new classmate.

"Isn't Sasuke-kun just gorgeous?" Ino chirped.

Sakura nodded, a dreamy look glossing over her eyes.

"I wonder if he'll go out with me..."

"Why would anyone go on a date with you, Ino-pig?"

"Shut up forehead girl! Sasuke-kun is obviously high class, and should choose a girlfriend accordingly!"

"Then you are so faaaaaar out of the picture I can't even see you anymore." Sakura retorted.

Naruto sighed. It was hard to think that the two girls were actually close friends, the way they spoke to each other.

Obviously Konoha High didn't follow the rules that the rest of the city went by, because while Sasuke was indeed the topic of conversation, Naruto was still the walking bulls eye.

They entered the classroom to find everything in total chaos.

Naruto stepped over to Kiba, Shino and Shikamaru, who were sitting over by the window.

Kiba was frantically pressing the buttons on his gameboy, the two others looking lazily over his

shoulder. "Hey," the blonde said. "where's Iruka-sensei?"

"He's still sick." Kiba replied quickly, repeatedly pressing the 'y' button. "Damn it!"

"He'll be gone all week."

They all looked at Shino.

"Class rep." he said calmly.

"Right..."

Kiba grinned. "That means we'll get one more week to finish our projects!"

"And boy...Am I gonna need it..." Naruto sighed.

The rest of the group looked over at him.

Naruto was looking at a pile of soaked papers on his desk.

"What the..."

"Don't tell me..."

"That's your project?!" Ino shrilled.

"Yeah... Half of it. The other half is in my bag...covered in yoghurt." Naruto frowned.

"Oh no.."

"I sure hope you have a backup disc."

"I-" Naruto dug in his bag, pulling out three pieces of polycarbonate plastic that had once been a CD. "...do..."

"Shit..." Kiba muttered.

"Have you ever heard of screwing the cap back on the bottle dickless?"

"What the fuck Sai!?" Naruto was angry. Real angry.

Wait.

Make that pissed off.

This was more than a mean prank. This was sabotage.

Apparently his friends were thinking the same thing.

"Sai! Did you do this?!"

"If you did I'll wring your neck!" Sakura snarled, her emerald eyes turning pitch black for a split second.

"Just because we're being given individual marks, it doesn't mean you can walk around-"

"Chill." Sai broke them off. "I was just stating the obvious."

Naruto scowled at him. Without thinking he grabbed the other boy's collar, pushing him backwards towards the classroom door.

Sai's smug smirk was fading, he was a coward after all. "Jeez Uzumaki! It wasn't me ok?!"

"I sure hope it wasn't." Naruto replied. "Because that's low, even for you." he pushed him backwards, just as the door opened. The blonde and the raven crashed straight into the person who came in. And that person, was Sasuke.

Nauto's azure orbs locked to Sasuke's pitch black glare.

It seemed like they had been staring at each other forever when Sasuke snorted and brushed past them, muttering something that sounded like; "Watch it, dobe."

'Dobe'. As in the name one of his teachers had referred to him by just yesterday.

Naruto was dumbstruck.

His grip on Sai's shirt loosened, and the boy pulled away.

"Freak." Sai spat and disappeared out the door.

As he made his way down the hall he called out; "I hope you have another safety copy, or that you type really fast! Wouldn't want you to fail!"

No one said anything. Everyone knew that Naruto didn't have access to a computer at home.

Naruto himself barely caught Sai's spiteful words though.

He was still dwelling at the words the Uchiha's velvet voice had spoken.

What the hell?

The first thing he said to him, and it was an insult?!

"Dude," Kiba placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder, a broad grin plastered on his face. "That was _awesome!_"

"What?"

"You telling off that asshole right now!"

"Oh. Yeah. It felt good..." he said absentmindedly, heading out the door, for the library.

The others came with him.

Sasuke watched them lazily as the group disappeared through the door.

He then turned his attention to the book on the desk before him.

Turning the page, he gave a quiet 'hn' to himself, looking over towards the door once more.

* * *

"I'm worried about Naruto."

"Naruto? Why?" Kakashi looked over his shoulder. "And shouldn't you be in bed?"

"It's just a common flu!" Iruka said with annoyance in his voice.

"And yet here I am, playing nurse, cooking you dinner."

"It's instant soup." the brunette pointed out. "_I _could've made that."

"But you're not. I am, so relax and tell me why you're worried about him."

Iruka sighed. "They're bullying him."

"What else is new?"

"You could be a bit more sensitive. The age he is now is very crucial and-"

"And he'll sort it out himself, you saw what happened the other day."

"Violence shouldn't be the only option."

"But it might be a solution, like it or not." Kakashi retorted, tasting the soup. "There's two options; rise above them, or kick their asses. If you ask me, Naruto is doing a fine job at both. And you know he only fights if he finds it necessary."

"Because he's afraid."

Kakashi turned down the heat on the stove, and came to sit next to Iruka on the couch.

"Afraid?"

"Of his blood. He knows that-"

"What? If he snaps he'll become his father?"

"No...that's not...It's just... Don't you think that he'll only make it worse if he gets mad? And what if he looses control of his temper?"

"So basically Mother Hen, you think that he should just shut up and take it? Or come running to you, or Tsunade every time someone pokes him? Just forget it, teenagers don't work like that. And Naruto isn't like most other teens anyway, he's wise in his own way, and he knows better than to let himself get affected by nonsense."

The other man rubbed his temple.

"Iruka," Kakashi brought their foreheads together. "You want to know what I think?"

Iruka nodded.

"I think you should stop worrying, and go back to bed. You have a fever." he smiled.

Iruka frowned. He lay down on the couch though, closing his eyes. "I should have raised him..." he sighed.

"You practically have." the silver-haired man replied. "All he knows he's learned from you. So relax, Naruto is fine. It's _you_ who's making a big deal out of nothing."

* * *

"Woah! Hinata you're so nice! Letting me borrow your laptop like this!" Naruto grinned from ear to ear, looking at the brand new laptop in front of him on the desk.

"I-it's n-no p-problem..." she stuttered. "W-we're done w-with our p-project a-anyway...A-and...I th-thought you m-might need it..."

"But still..."

"I-it's f-fine...r-really!"

Naruto kept grinning, and pulled the petite girl close for a swift bear hug. "You're the best!"

Hinata blushed sixteen shades of scarlet, and nearly fainted. Naruto didn't notice, he'd already turned to Shikamaru.

The Nara seemed to be in a helpful mood himself. "You don't have to do it all over again," he said. "I thought something like this might happen, so I did a few parts of your stuff too."

"You did?! When?"

"During the weekend, I had nothing else to do anyway."

"Dude," Kiba interrupted. "Doing other people's projects during weekends? You need a hobby."

Shikamaru ignored him.

"I want to do as much of it as possible myself," Naruto said. "But thanks for the offer. Then again..." he flashed a fox grin. "If you insist, who am I to refuse?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, but his lips quirked.

* * *

The next morning Naruto was getting ready for school with Gaara regarding him lazily from his bed.

"You're lucky you don't have to get up this early." the blonde muttered, while trying to fix his hair. It was impossible to spot any real difference; the tousles of blonde were just as wild and unruly as when he'd gotten out of bed.

"Yeah right..." Gaara mumbled. "Five minutes after you're out the door, someone always comes barging in here, forcing me to get up."

"Still..." Naruto sighed quietly.

Gaara rose to a sitting position, the blanket sliding down, to reveal his lean form and pale skin. Next to his pillow, Naruto spotted the teddy bear Gaara'd had for as long as they could both remember. He was still not willing to give it up it seemed.

"Naruto, what's wrong?"

"What? I'm just tired, that's all."

"Really?" Gaara's brow furrowed as his aquamarine eyes burned their way into Naruto's soul. At least that's what it felt like.

Naruto sighed a second time.

"Let's hear it."

"It's nothing big...Just...You know yesterday when I found my project...?"

Gaara nodded.

"Yeah, well. Sai was standing there like a smug bastard."

"As always," the quiet red mumbled.

"And...I just snapped." Naruto continued.

"Snapped?" Gaara repeated.

"I grabbed his collar and slammed him against the door."

"It's about time you stood up to him." Gaara said monotonously.

Naruto sighed yet again.

Gaara stood from the bed, coming over to him. He rested a slender hand on the blonde's shoulder. "You're worried because of your blood, aren't you?"

Naruto turned his gaze away, and gave a slight nod. The red pulled him closer, letting his friend rest his forehead on his chest. "Relax." he said. "You're not your father."

Naruto smiled carefully. "Thanks Gaara."

His eyes wandered to the clock on the wall. "DAMN IT!"

He was late again.

He freed himself from Gaara's awkward embrace, mumbled some sort of goodbye, and ran down the stairs and out the door.

Gaara went over to the window, watching as his friend hurried down the street.

"Naruto..."

Something else was troubling the teen, and it bothered Gaara that he couldn't guess what it was.

* * *

Meeting up with Shikamaru and a few of the others outside the school gates, Naruto plastered his usual grin on his face.

"Hey guys!"

Shikamaru handed him a pile of papers.

"What's this?" Naruto asked as he accepted them.

"Just some help."

Flipping through the papers, and realizing what it was, Naruto grinned even wider. "You're the best Shika!"

The brunette's eye twitched in slight irritation.

"And we'll help you out too." Sakura smiled sweetly. "My group's pretty much done with our project."

"Mine too." Ino smiled.

"A-and..." Hinata's soft voice was drowned out when Sasuke passed them.

He didn't spare any of them a single glace, but the girls stared.

Ino and Sakura were openly gawking at him.

Hinata looked at down at the ground. She found the Uchiha to be intimidating.

Guys like him were trouble. Usually they were too full of themselves to be very interested in others. And Sasuke didn't seem like the sociable type.

That appeared to be a non-issue to the two other girls though, the minute he showed up it was;

"Sasuke-kun!"

"Good morning Sasuke-kun!"

"Want to walk to class together Sasuke-kun?"

A quiet 'Hn', was barely uttered from the indifferent raven.

The group at the gates continued to chat excitedly.

Hinata shyly looked over at Naruto.

Was it her imagination, or was the blonde still watching the Uchiha?

He turned his head and looked back at her.

Reddening she quickly shifted her gaze to the ground, mumbling something.

* * *

"Aaand...there!"

Naruto's finger hit the 'enter' key with a loud click.

He turned to his friends and grinned.

"All done!"

It was Thursday, two days later, and he was done with the project.

"Thanks for the help guys!" he beamed. "The whole thing done in just two days! That's gotta be some sort of record!"

"And Iruka is still not here, so you don't have to worry about failing after all!" Kiba slapped Naruto on the shoulder.

"You on the other hand," Shino reminded the brunette.

"I thought we were done?!" the Inuzuka exclaimed.

"We are." Shino replied.

"Sh-Shino and me t-that is." Hinata said.

"Shit!" Kiba's eyes widened.

Naruto burst out laughing. "Don't worry, I'll help you!"

Kiba scowled. "Dude, you needed help from _me. _So I don't think so!"

"Fine, then tell them Akamaru ate your project." Naruto joked.

"As if that'll help."

"We'll help!" Hinata smiled shyly. "Won't we Shino-kun?"

The class rep nodded.

Naruto looked at his newfound friends. In this group they truly did help out whenever someone needed it, even if it was with the teeniest of things.

"Hey!" Ino exclaimed. "How about we all do something together this weekend?"  
"Do something?" Shikamaru lifted an eyebrow.

"Yeah, obviously you need something to do, since you spend your weekends doing _other _people's homework!"

"That's a great idea!" Kiba grinned. Shino nodded again.

"I vote for yakiniku!" Chouji seemed to have suddenly awakened. The boy hadn't seemed to be paying attention to the conversation earlier at least.

"Don't you always?"

They laughed.

"You're coming too right, Naruto?"

The blonde looked around at the others. Not that he'd expected them not to invite him, but he still found himself a bit surprised at being asked.

"Sure. If it's on Friday. I have plans on Saturday..."

"Friday is fine!" Ino decided for the whole group.

"Bring that friend of yours too!" Sakura said. "Gaara, right?"  
Naruto chewed his lip. "He's not exactly the social type...But, I'll ask him if he wants to go."

"I hope he'll come with us."

"Yeah! A friend of you is a friend of ours, right guys?"

Those words warmed.

Naruto smiled. "I'll drag him along."

"I wonder if he's handsome..?" Ino whispered to Sakura.

Her friend frowned. "Do you ever think of anything else?"

"Not more than you." the blonde girl pointed out.

"Speaking of which," Shino jerked his head towards a shelf at the other end of the library.

Instantly the two girls shifted their glances, staring at Sasuke in a matter that reminded Naruto of a couple of hungry predators.

The second thought that struck him, and probably every other guy in their group was that the girls must have been reading each others minds.

At least it seemed like the battle for Sasuke was back on; they glared at each other, before both of them called out;

"Hey! Sasuke-kuuun!"

The raven turned his head slightly.

Ino and Sakura proceeded to push each other aside as both chased forward, the librarian glaring daggers at them.

They reached Sasuke simultaneously, and latched onto his arms; one girl on each side.

"Sasuke-kun!"

"Sasuke!"

He grumbled.

"Wouldn't you like to go out with us on Friday?"

"She won't be coming of course!" Ino added.

"_You're _the one who won't be there pig!"

The Uchiha said nothing.

"Strange how they can cling to someone like that when he's hardly spoken a word to either of them..." Kiba said, watching them from the other side of the library.

Hinata flushed, stealing a glance at Naruto.

"Girls like them are so troublesome...I'm glad I'm not Sasuke." Shikamaru rubbed his neck.

Naruto said nothing, he was waiting for Sasuke's answer. Though he couldn't really make out all the words, he was sure he'd notice when Sasuke replied. After all, the reaction the girls would have to his answer would reveal everything.

"You don't have to hang out with the whole group," Sakura said.

"Of course not, we can go on a date just the two of us, if you'd like that!" Ino finished.

"Excuse me, I believe _I_ was the one asking him out!"

"Does it look like he's interested?!"

"I'm not."

They froze at the sound of his voice.

"You see?!"

"I told you!"

"No." Sasuke shook them both off. "I don't want to go out with you."

He turned to Ino. "Or you. Or any of your little friends."

They both stared at the back of his navy blue shirt as he made for the hallway.

Inwardly Naruto wished that Sasuke had accepted the invite. If they spent an evening together he should be able to figure out if the raven remembered him or not.  
Then again, he wasn't sure he'd be thrilled if the boy had accepted either. The mood always became somewhat strained and uncomfortable whenever the Uchiha was near.

It was no wonder really, that the boy was a loner, not after what had happened. But still, it wasn't sadness Sasuke was giving off. It was something different. Something that hadn't been there back in the days when they had known each other.

He snapped back to reality when the two girls returned to their table.  
They were bickering loudly, completely ignoring the frustrated shushing from the librarian.

"Why is it that every time I talk to Sasuke-kun, you have to come and ruin it?!"  
"Right back at you! And all I wanted to do was save him from _you!"_

Shikamaru frowned. "They can go on like this all day. Why don't we just take lunch?"

"I'm in!" Chouji announced.

"Me too!"

Naruto's stomach growled loudly. "I guess I'm coming with you guys!"

Shino and Hinata silently tagged along.

Sakura and Ino followed them, so there was no use hoping to be free of the ruckus.

* * *

"I don't want to." Gaara pulled the covers over his head.

"Oh come on!" Naruto pulled it off him, the blanket landing on the floor. "It'll be fun!"

"I don't like fun."

"Gaara!"

"No." the red turned.

Naruto jumped on the bed, landing on his friend. "Please Gaara!"

"Do not want." was the simple response. Gaara proceeded to try to shake off the annoying blonde, with the result that they both tumbled to the floor.

"Oof!"

Naruto burst out laughing. Gaara merely scowled at him with narrow green eyes.

"Come on," Naruto dried the laughter-induced tears. "I just want you to meet them..."

"What about what I want?"

"You never wanna do anything. It'll be good for you to get out a little."

Gaara sighed. "If I say yes, will you stop bothering me?"

Naruto nodded. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

"Right..." Gaara rolled his eyes. "But you'll be doing my chores for a week."

"Deal!" the fox grinned.

"Now get to school." Gaara rose to his feet.

"Yes mother." Naruto replied.

The red smacked him in the back of the head, but smiled as he did. "When are we going?"

"We're meeting the guys around six, at the square."

Gaara nodded. And the blonde rushed down the stairs.

Seconds later the door slammed.

* * *

"Why did I let you talk me into this?" Gaara was obviously uncomfortable as they made their way down main street, towards the square.

"Stop sulking, I promise you'll have fun!"

The others curiously eyed the red as Naruto and Gaara met up with them.

"Everyone, this is Gaara." Naruto smiled. "Gaara, meet everyone."

Gaara gave a barely-there nod.

"Hey, where's Hinata?"

"She couldn't make it. She had this family-thing..."

"Oh, too bad."

"Can we go? I'm starving!"

"You ate before we left!" Shikamaru frowned.

"Yeah, but that's almost an hour ago!" Choiji countered, and started making for the Korean restaurant.

The group followed, Gaara and Naruto walking slightly behind the others.

Quiet whispers and spiteful glances followed them.

As much as it bothered Gaara to be out with people like this, it was nothing compared to what his friend must've been feeling, so the red temporarily shook off his annoyance and touched his hand to Naruto's shoulder, offering him a friendly smile.

The blonde seemed to think that he had cheered up though. Or maybe he was just getting really good t pretending like he didn't hear the voices that followed him wherever he went.

When they reached the restaurant and took their seats, the red was back to his usual self though.

He seemed fairly uninterested in getting to know any of Naruto's friends. He didn't mean anything by it, he just didn't like people.

The others chatted excitedly, and happily ate the delicious Korean barbeque. Gaara ate too, but slowly, and with his brow lined with thoughts.

Naruto excused himself to go to the bathroom, and instantly the mood around the table got slightly awkward.

Because of Gaara's reticent, cold nature they all felt a little uneasy. At the same time, they knew that this was just his way of acting, so they tried to keep the conversation flowing, eager to get to know this person Naruto spoke so highly of.

"So..." Kiba started. "Home schooling...eh?"

Gaara spared him half a glance. "Yeah."

"Must be...different."

Gaara shrugged.

"You don't have to get up early, do you?"

"No."

"So you can sleep in! Sleeping is the best, don't you think?"

"I have insomnia." Gaara retorted.

"Oh..." Kiba pulled away.

An awkward silence ruled between them. It remained until the blonde returned.

"I hope you were nice to them," he joked, slapping Gaara on the back as he took his seat.  
Gaara arched a non-existent eyebrow.

Why hadn't the damned things grown back out yet? He was starting to wonder if the chemicals Naruto had mixed had created some toxic fume that had burned them off forever. Absentmindedly he touched two fingers to his forehead, running them along the line above his eye.

No one had asked yet, not about the kanji on his forehead either.  
He reckoned Naruto had either told them the story, or that they simply were too scared of him to ask. He did have a reputation after all.

After eating, Sakura and Ino tried dragging the boys along to go dancing, but the idea was fairly unpopular.

"A group of guys, going dancing? I don't think so..."

"And what do you call us?!" a vein on Sakura's forehead popped as she grabbed Kiba by the collar.

In the end they ended up at a Karaoke place, where Ino and Sakura did some dancing regardless of what the others thought.

"Talk about getting caught in the moment..." Naruto said. "I want to sing next!"

He looked over at Gaara.

"Forget it. I'm here, that's more than enough."

Naruto shrugged, and dragged a protesting Shikamaru over to the mics instead.

Enthusiastically the blonde performed a very annoying pop-song, barely backed up by Shikamaru, who looked like he was suffering immensely up there. He'd even sat down on a speaker.

Gaara watched them.

He'd never seen Naruto like this. Though he was always full of life, this was new.

For the time being the blonde seemed to have no worries at all, and it lifted a huge weight off of Gaara's shoulders. Watching as Naruto pulled Sakura to her feet and made her sing along with him, a huge grin plastered on his face, Gaara smiled too.

Seeing Naruto so genuinely happy warmed him, just enough to make the night worthwhile.

He was still relieved though when they said their goodbyes.

"That wasn't so bad now, was it?" Naruto asked, munching dango as he spoke.

Gaara shrugged. "They're ok."

Naruto laughed. "You're so stubborn!"

The red said nothing, but his lip quirked slightly. "What now?" he asked, sliding his hands into his pockets.

"I thought we'd stop by Iruka-sensei," Naruto said. "He doesn't live far from here, and I just wanna make sure he's ok."

"He's still sick?"

"Yeah."

"Let's go then."

* * *

It was to their surprise Naruto's literature teacher who opened the door, and stuck out his head.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

The man looked at the teens on the doormat. "What do you want?"

"I came to see Iruka-sensei." Naruto squinted. "What are you doing here?"

The silver-haired man mumbled something, but let them in.

Naruto snickered. "Oi, sensei! What are you wearing that for?!"

He was referring to the white apron with laced seams that Kakashi had tied around his waist.

"I'm cooking. Since Iruka is in no shape do be doing it himself."

"He's that sick?" Naruto asked worriedly.

"Nonsense." Iruka came into the kitchen. "Mother Hen over there is just pretending to be worried because there is no food in his own house."

"So you're ok then?"

"Still a bit rusty," the man coughed. "But I'm not dying, if that's what you meant?"

He went into the living room, sitting on the couch. "More importantly, why are you here? Is something wrong?"

Naruto shook his head. "We just thought we'd stop by and see how you're doing."

"That's nice of you." the teacher lit up in a smile. "And it's so nice to see you again too Gaara!"

Gaara nodded politely, but said nothing.

"You're staying for a while right?" Kakashi called out from the kitchen. "I'll cook up something for you too!"

"Actually we just came from-"

"It's been at least two hours since we ate." Naruto broke his friend off. "We'd love to eat with you!"

"We would?" Gaara furrowed his brow.

"Yups." Naruto slouched in the couch.

Gaara sat on a chair.

"Where did you say you came from?"

"We were out eating with Shikamaru and Sakura-chan and the others. And then we went for karaoke afterwards."

Iruka lit up. "Really? That's nice!"

"Yeah, we had fun, didn't we Gaara?"

"Sure." he replied in his usual monotone voice.

Iruka chuckled. "The same as always, eh, Gaara?"

"Hn."

"You went out with your classmates, eh?"

Kakashi was setting the table, the three others already seated.

Naruto was already stuffing his face with bread, but nodded energetically.

"Was Uchiha Sasuke by any chance there with you?"

Naruto stirred.

He swallowed, and coughed. "No...He..turned us down. Ino and Sakura tried to drag him along, but he refused."

"So did I..." Gaara muttered.

"I see." Kakashi sat. "Well, keep asking him along. There's no better way to integrate a new student."

Naruto nodded, and ate in silence until Iruka changed the subject.

"Not that I'm not happy you were out having fun, but shouldn't you be at home working?"

"I'm done."

"What?"

"While you were out sick, taking your sweet time to recover, I finished the project."

Iruka looked as if he'd fallen from the moon.

"Surprised?" the blonde grinned.

"We might be witnessing a miracle here." Kakashi pointed out.

"But...All of it? You?"

"Yeah. Me. And Shika too."

"What about Sai?"  
Naruto shrugged. "Haven't seen him for days."

Iruka rolled his eyes. "He's not familiar with team work as usual..."

"Did you expect him to?"

"Stranger things have happened." Iruka said, smiling slightly.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at him before continuing to devour his meal.

* * *

The hours got long.  
It was late.

"I'm calling to let them know you'll be staying the night." Iruka stood from the couch.

Naruto yawned.

"Are you sure that's fine?" Gaara asked.  
"Of course, it wouldn't be the first time." the teacher assured.

It was the first time Gaara had stayed the night anywhere. They'd usually think it too risky, since he was so unstable. But Iruka figured it was ok, after all they were two teachers, and Naruto was there.  
Nothing would happen.

"Get out the guest bed Naruto, and put it in your room."

Naruto's room had originally been an office, but the boy had stayed there so much when he was younger, it had been turned into his own private corner. He was free to come and stay there whenever, no questions asked. Iruka thought it was necessary to keep it this way, and also sensible in the way that Naruto would feel that he truly belonged somewhere.

"Isn't Kakashi-sensei ever going to leave?" the loudmouthed Uzumaki narrowed his eyes.

"No...He...He..Uh..."

"He what? Lives here?" Naruto crossed his arms over his chest.

"Lately he's been...staying here...on...eh...in..."

"On the couch." Kakashi came to the rescue.

Iruka gave a flustered nod. "Yes."

"Just in case he gets worse."

Naruto pursed his lips. He said nothing, but he didn't believe them for a second.

* * *

"I'm telling you. Iruka-sensei's flu has nothing to do with it." he whispered to Gaara as they lay in his room.

"Or so you think."

"You saw him blush just as well as I did." Naruto snickered. "I believe we have a teacher-romance on our hands."

"I'm not getting involved in anymore of your plans, just so you know it. Now good night." Gaara pulled his blanket over his head.

"You're not fooling me, you have insomnia, remember?"

But Gaara didn't answer.

"Fine." Naruto chuckled. "Be that way. I'm gonna go get a glass of water."

He heard low voices from the kitchen.

_"Maybe I can reveal their not-so-secret-romance..." _Naruto thought to himself, and had to cover his mouth, strangling a chuckle, not to reveal his presence.

"You worry about him, don't you?" it was Iruka's voice.

"It's only natural. He doesn't really have anyone, and I'm the only one of the staff that's been in contact with him longer than a few months."

"How is he doing?"

"He's better, a lot better. But his past has had a huge impact on him."

"That's understandable."

At first Naruto thought they were talking about him, but that wasn't the case.

"What about his brother?"

"They never found the body," Kakashi replied. "He could still be alive...But it's highly doubtful. Why would he be left alive? Why would he run away?"

"That's true..." Iruka sighed. "Does he talk about it?"

Kakashi shook his head. "He refuses. He hurts, but he won't let himself feel the pain. I don't want to force him, God knows he's been through enough trauma already."

Iruka rubbed his temple. "Poor Sasuke..."

Naruto's heart skipped a beat.

"Let's just go to bed." Kakashi placed his hand on Iruka's shoulder. "Even if we talk about it all night, it won't help."

"I guess you're right..."

The blonde teen hurried back to his room, hoping that they hadn't noticed his eavesdropping.

Gaara seemed to be asleep.

His insomnia had been merciful tonight.

Naruto sighed, getting in under the covers.

In his sleep he heard snippets of the horror story known as the 'Uchiha Massacre'.

* * *

TBC

[Thanks for all reviews and adds! I love hearing what you guys think, so keep the reviews coming lovlies! 3


	5. Shigatsu

**An:** Sorry about the delay! We just got Devil May Cry 4, so I forgot about yesterday's update!  
I'm sorry if this chapter looks a little weird, but I'm still not used to the formatting D:

* * *

**Shigatsu **

Sasuke cursed under his breath.  
It was raining, he was wet and cold and...Why hadn't he accepted the damn invite?!  
Sure, Sakura and Ino were annoying, and that was more than enough reason to stay away from the whole group, but...

Then there was _him_.

Sasuke had known it was him, from the second when his eyes fell on the blonde in the class room that day.  
There was no doubt in his mind that the blonde was the same one who'd practically kept him alive all those years ago.  
And here he was, ignoring him, insulting him and rejecting him.

Of course, he couldn't be sure that the other boy remembered, but Sasuke saw no reason as to why he wouldn't. Except from maybe all the years that had passed.

His thoughts were disrupted by a creak in the floorboards. He shuddered.  
With the wind moaning outside, not much was needed for the wood in the old walls and the tired floor to moan. And it made Sasuke wish he lived somewhere else every time.

The creeping discomfort forced him to get out of the house. He went out into the garden, which despite hosting horrid memories as well, was slightly less suffocating than the house.

And as soon as he relaxed, the gnawing annoyance started up again.

It was possible that Naruto didn't remember him, sure, but it was just as possible that he _did_ and how did Sasuke intend to find out if he didn't get closer to him? Or even talk to him?

It'd been a week since he told off the girls in the library (not that it had caused them to back off for long), and for each day that passed he cursed himself more for not accepting their invitation.

* * *

"Ne, Iruka-sensei..." Naruto was sitting at Iruka's kitchen table, having dinner. It was a Tuesday afternoon, and the teen had hitched a ride home with him, and ended up staying for dinner.  
"Yes Naruto?"  
"Tell me about the Uchiha Massacre..."  
It came like a lightning bolt out of the clear sky.

"What now?" the teacher coughed.  
"The Uchiha Massacre, you know about it right?"  
_"Who doesn't..?" _Iruka thought.  
"Sadly, yes."  
"Tell me." the blonde teen demanded.  
"Why do you want to know? Is it Sasuke?"  
"What else?"  
The teacher rubbed his temple. "Naruto..I don't..."  
"It's just so I can understand him better." Naruto said. He wasn't so sure that was the truth, but he said it anyway. "The whole town is talking about it, but I don't really know what happened...?"

_"You wouldn't know...would you?" _Iruka's heart stung slightly. Most of the kids Naruto's age, had heard the story from their parents. But since Naruto didn't have any, he'd just picked up on things he'd heard in the village.

Finally, he decided that it would be for the best to tell the teen the truth, rather than having him believe any of the obscurities that had been added to the story over the years.

"Alright...I'll tell you."  
Naruto rested his elbows on the table, and listened eagerly.  
"As you probably know, the Uchiha family was also known as the Uchiha clan, possibly because they kept to themselves, although they had some important influences on our town. Still, they were of the distant kind, and kept mostly to themselves. In the early years of Konoha, it was the Uchiha family who established the police force. Because of this they gained a lot of respect among the people here. They continued to keep to themselves, but offered their help when it was needed. Back when you were born, there weren't many Uchihas involved with the police force anymore, but they still remained among the high society, and many of them had important positions in various businesses. They truly were a prestigious family, whose name was well known throughout the country, as well as in the high circuits of business life.  
With time they also made it big with their own company; the Uchiha Corporation. It had reached it's peak, becoming a multi-million dollar corporation, when tragedy struck."  
Naruto listened carefully, azure eyes remaining focused on his teacher's face as the man spoke.  
"The police have always been very secretive about this, so few details are known. Most of the things people in town talk about are just made up, you realize that right?"

Naruto nodded.

"What is known though," Iruka continued. "Is that one night someone must have broken into the estate. Whoever it was...must have had a grudge towards the family, or maybe even that person was someone who was just trying to rob them, and accidentally killed someone, then panicked. I don't believe that much myself, but the possibilities are endless really... most likely it was all planned though, by someone who wanted them out of the picture. The police wondered for some time if the Uchihas had some connection to the yakuza, and that they might've gotten themselves in trouble; it certainly did look like that kind of crime. But to this day they still haven't been able to find evidence for that theory. Whatever the reason was though, it was horrible. The crime took place at night, and they were all murdered in their homes. Every single one of them, except from-"  
"Sasuke." Naruto finished, staring down at his plate. "Why was he left alive?"  
"He wasn't at home that night. He didn't come back until after it was all over. Poor kid, he was the one who found them."

Naruto's body tensed. That must've been horrible. He could still remember things he'd experienced as a child, so vividly. He could still see white sheets, covering up dead bodies. He'd passed them when they'd carried him out of the house. And he still remembered the body on the stretcher, the one where the white sheet had slid off, revealing a limp arm. He remembered seeing the wristwatch, and realizing that it was his father's body.

That had been bad enough, even though his father was a monster.  
But coming home, and finding your whole family... he clenched his fists. It truly must've be horrible.

"From what I gather," Iruka said. "Sasuke was supposed to sleep over at a friend's house, but he'd forgotten something, and came back to get it. When he found them...no one knows how long he was in there before he ran out in the street, screaming..."

The teacher's brow furrowed. "He was almost hysterical, and at first no one could understand what was wrong with him. He'd always seemed like a very calm child. One of the neighbors took care of him, while another went back to the estate...and then called the police." he stopped. Although he hadn't been very old himself when this happened, he still heard the wailing of the police cars, and the voices that cried out in surprise and shock as the news spread.  
He'd lived on the other side of town, so he hadn't been there to see as they carried out the bodies. But he'd seen it on TV afterwards, and he remembered seeing Sasuke on the screen, the child's face grimed with tears, fear written all over it.

He regarded Naruto, who sat in silence, taking in what he'd just heard.

"So...that's what really happened..."  
Iruka nodded. He sighed. "I shouldn't have told you that...you've got enough on your mind already."  
Naruto shook his head. "No, I'm glad you told me. I never knew he was the first to see...no wonder he..." he interrupted himself; "But, when I overheard you and Kakashi-sensei the other night, you mentioned a brother? Sasuke has a brother? Where was he?"

The questions were many, and came faster than the teacher could think.

"Oh, Itachi..." Iruka smiled, but it was a sad smile. "When Itachi started to grow up, the Uchihas seemed to get closer to the rest of Konoha. He was the eldest son of Uchiha Fugaku, the president of the corporation, and he absolutely lived up to that name... they labeled him a genius. And there's not much I can say to argue with that... Itachi was also very polite, and helpful although he was never really friendly with anyone. But through him, we all felt a little closer to the entire family. One of the things I remember most about Itachi was how close he seemed to be with Sasuke. He would always bring him everywhere. When the two of them were together, it certainly was eye-catching." he smiled again. "But on the night of the tragedy..."

"Kakashi-sensei said his body was never found."

"It wasn't." Iruka shook his head, "It was reported by witnesses that Itachi was at home earlier that night, but he wasn't among the dead. He was reported as missing, and they searched for him, but he was never found... whoever did it, probably got him too, and got rid of the body."

Naruto didn't say anything for a while.

"How can someone kill an entire family?" he finally asked.  
"I don't know Naruto."

The silence was heavy in the air, it was almost suffocating.  
Naruto noticed that his skin was sporting goose bumps, he rubbed his arm, trying to think of something else.

It was Iruka who broke the silence;

"What did you mean when you said you wanted to understand Sasuke better?"  
"He's always so...strange." Naruto replied. "I mean, I knew that he was the survivor and all that. But..." he paused. In a way he wasn't sure what he meant himself. Sasuke was cold and distant, and not someone you could just walk up to and strike up a conversation. Certainly not one about his family.  
He wondered if he should tell Iruka that Sasuke was the person from his dreams, but decided against it. Even if it would clear up his interest in the other boy.  
He felt though, that he should talk to Sasuke first.

"Sasuke is always alone." he said. "I know what that feels like. I thought that maybe if I could understand why he keeps to himself like this, maybe it would be easier to make contact with him. That is what you and Kakashi-sensei wanted right? For us to integrate him?"  
Iruka smiled. "You're a good kid, Naruto." he ruffled his blonde hair as he stood. "You want some dessert? Ice cream?"  
"Sure!" Naruto grinned.

Iruka was relieved when he placed the bowls of ice cream on the table.  
He understood that Naruto wanted to know, but he hurt whenever he thought about it.  
No kid should have to go through what Sasuke had experienced, or what Naruto and Gaara had both had to live through.

For now though, it seemed Naruto was satisfied with the answers he'd received.  
The teacher sat down, feeling relaxed that Naruto was done with his questions.

He reached for his spoon, chuckling as he watched the teen devouring his ice cream in gulps at a time.  
"You're gonna give yourself a brain freeze..."  
Right on cue, the teen touched his hand to his head, "Ooww...ow..ow."  
Iruka laughed.

"So," Naruto said, hand still on his head. "You and Kakashi-sensei, huh?"  
Iruka choked on his ice cream, coughed and stuttered; "Wh-what!?"  
Naruto smirked. Then the smirk turned into a wide, evil grin.  
"I can tell."  
Iruka scowled, coughed again and said; "You, are one rude brat. You know that?!"

There hadn't been many answers to get out of Iruka after that.  
Naruto had tried to make the teacher admit they had a relationship, but Iruka had refused, calling it 'childish imagination' and 'intolerable insolence'.

The teen knew better though.  
He grinned to himself.

His phone rang.  
Naruto reached into his pocket and got out the cell.  
He'd gotten it for his birthday last year, from Iruka.

Flustered he'd stared down at the box. He'd been speechless. Of course he'd been thrilled too, but mostly he'd been shocked that the teacher was willing to get him a phone, and pay the bill for it as well.

Flipping the phone open, he pressed it to his ear.

"Yeah?"  
_"Where the hell are you?!"  
_"Gaara?"  
_"Did you forget it's our turn to cook?"  
_"Oops..."  
_"Oops my ass. Where are you?"  
_"I was eating with Iruka-sensei...where are you?"  
_"Convenience store. I had to go there since you're a billion years late."  
_"Sorry, look, I'll meet you there."  
_"We'll meet on the way," _came the answer. _"I'm almost done."  
_Naruto nodded, fully aware of the fact that Gaara couldn't see it.  
_"Start walking towards the store then."_

Before Gaara hung up Naruto thought he heard him say something about 'chores' and 'idiot'.

* * *

He walked down the road, along the fence of a kindergarten, his gaze wandered to the trees that were planted on the inside, to help keep the noise from the street out.

Next month the sakura would bloom. And then it wasn't too long until Golden Week.

At this time of year the teachers gave out exams like mad, so he really looked forward to one week's vacation. He grinned.

The grin was washed away from his face though, when he saw a slight crowd on the other side of the street.

In the center of the crowd he could spot a boy.  
He could have guessed from the excited chatter and nosy questions who it was, and with that hair, there was just no way to be mistaken.

The boy was Sasuke.

Of course the people around him were mostly gossipy housewives, and the occasional teenage girl, ogling him. There were also some children, pointing, asking their moms; "Is that him mommy?"

Naruto found himself getting annoyed.  
What was wrong with people in this town?  
Was it really that hard to leave other people alone?  
After what he'd just learned, he couldn't understand how people could be so inconsiderate.  
Why would they surround him and rip open all his scars like this?

Angered, he crossed the street.

"Hey! Excuse me!" he shouted, before even thinking.  
"What do _you_ want?"  
"I want you to start minding your own business for once! It's not always all about satisfying your curiosity!"  
"And everything isn't always about you, Uzumaki!"  
"Really?" Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Because the way you talk, you'd almost think it was!"

Agitated murmurs went through the crowd.  
Some started to walk away, others joined in on letting Naruto know how little his opinion was needed. Sasuke said nothing.  
He had his arms crossed over his chest, and just watched the argument.

"I think we're entitled to know how Sasuke-kun is doing."  
"Yeah? Well have you asked him?" Naruto demanded.  
"We're allowed to ask questions!"  
"We're entitled to know what's going on!"  
"No." Sasuke finally opened his mouth. "You're not. So would you all just leave me alone?"

Naruto stared at him.  
The raven still had his arms crossed, and his eyes closed. He opened them, dark black orbs glaring at the people around him.

After that the crowd disbanded, people heading back to their respective destinations.

Naruto remained.  
He could hear them talking to one another as they left.

"Can you believe that Uzumaki kid? Always interfering!"  
"I know! But there's no wonder Sasuke asked us to leave, he must still be struggling, the poor child."  
"He must be lonely..."  
"And without anyone properly raising him, no wonder he's acting so hostile!"

"Tch," Naruto bit his lip. "Can you believe these people?"  
"I don't need your help dobe."

There it was again.  
Like so many times this week.

"What?"  
"I said," Sasuke snarled. "I don't need your help!"  
"I was just... I know how they are..."  
"And you don't think I do? You don't think I know all about how they relish when others suffer?" Sasuke snorted.  
"Well excuse me..." Naruto looked for a proper insult. "...Sasuke-teme!"  
The raven lifted an eyebrow.

"I didn't say you didn't know. I just wanted to help you out a bit...I've been through the same."  
"No, you haven't."  
"The stares? The rumors? The people? Yes, I have." Naruto continued stubbornly. He wasn't sure this was going anywhere. Neither was he sure he had intended for it to go somewhere, unless his sub consciousness was trying to make him find out if Sasuke still remembered.  
"I don't care. So get lost."

Naruto's lip twitched in annoyance.  
Sasuke's eyes darkened. "I said get lost."

Naruto didn't budge from where he stood on the sidewalk.  
"What are you? Deaf?" Sasuke stepped closer. "Just get lost and leave me the fuck alone!"

No sooner had he uttered the words, practically yelling them in Naruto's face, a voice came from behind him.  
"I'd advise you to do the same."

Naruto's eyes widened when he looked at Gaara, the red holding a plastic bag in one hand, and something black in the other.  
He made a swift movement with his hand. There was a swish-like sound, and then something metallic twinkled in the sunlight. It seemed to have come out from the black object.  
Naruto realized that the thing Gaara was holding was a switch-blade knife.

"Gaara!" Naruto shrilled.

"I've had it with all these people, always getting on your case." Gaara's voice was threatening, low.

Sasuke stared at the knife. But his face remained the same.

"I told you before, you need to deal with them. Give them a scare."

"Gaara, stop it."

The red stepped closer. A smirk played on his lips. "I'm only gonna cut him a little, so he'll learn to leave you alone."

"Gaara! Listen!" Naruto's voice was hard. "I was the one who started this! Sasuke didn't do anything."

Gaara took a step back, his expression now confused. "Sasuke?"

"Yes." Naruto nodded. "Now, stop acting silly, and put that thing down before you hurt someone."

Gaara did as told, still perplexed.

Sasuke was still just staring at them. "Who's this?" he asked. "Your body guard?"  
"Lay off." Naruto hissed.  
"Depending on other people as always. You really are a loser," Sasuke turned on his heel. "See you tomorrow, usuratonkachi."

"I'm warning you Uchiha..." Gaara snarled in his throat.  
"That's enough Gaara." Naruto grabbed Gaara's arms, holding him in place.

"Hn," Sasuke snorted, heading for the store, "Freaks."  
Naruto glared at his back, but said nothing.

* * *

"What the hell are you doing?!" Naruto exclaimed, still holding Gaara's arms firmly.  
"I told you." the other replied.  
"And I've told you that I don't need you to defend me. And you don't have to resort to pointless violence! What did you intend to do? Kill him?!"  
"I was only gonna scare him."  
"Still!" Naruto's blue eyes dug into Gaara's. "Where did you get this thing anyways?"  
"Does it matter?"  
"No, cos I'm taking it away from you." he forcefully took the knife from Gaara's hand. "I thought you'd gotten better..."  
"I am better!" Gaara growled. "But they still treat you like crap, and I hate it!"  
Naruto's look softened. He let go of his friend. "I know...but jeez Gaara! If you continue to do these things they're gonna send you to juvi!"

Gaara looked away.

"I'm glad you're willing to stand up for me, you know I am. But this is just the wrong way of doing it."  
"Sorry," Came the quiet reply.  
"It's alright, you didn't hurt anyone. Just don't try to defend me again. Are we clear?"

Gaara didn't say anything, but turned, starting to head back.

* * *

They were almost home before the red finally said something.  
"That Uchiha Sasuke is a real asshole."  
Naruto looked up at the sky. It was getting cloudy.  
He sighed. "I guess..."  
Gaara looked over at him briefly, curiously.

* * *

At school the next day, things were like always.  
The projects were all handed in, so class was back to it's usual boring self.  
They'd started out the day with a math test of doom, which Naruto was sure he'd fail.

Sakura and Ino bickered about some random stuff, and the rest of the group watched them in slight boredom, while they had lunch.

From time to time Sai would pass him, and serve one of his nasty little comments, but it was barely noticed by Naruto.

What the blonde _did _notice though, was that whenever he glanced over at Sasuke, or even in his direction, the raven would glare at him.

The next day was the same.

And the day after.

And throughout the week.

If he said something to him, Sasuke would inevitably say something insulting in return. Not flat out mean like the others, but he'd add one of his little nick names, or say something in a very provocative way.

And Naruto being Naruto, would quickly respond in a loud, annoyed way.

With his usual bullies, he'd hardly spare them a glance, but Sasuke was starting to really piss him off. Like if they were in the cafeteria, and someone tripped him.  
Sasuke would definitely be there to comment; "Be careful there, dobe."  
And it would have his blood boiling.  
"Out of my way Sasuke-bastard!"

"I don't see why you are so hostile towards Sasuke," Sakura said, sitting down next to Naruto.  
"Hmm...let's see...maybe because he's A TOTAL JERK!" he made sure to yell the last part over his shoulder, so Sasuke could hear him.

The raven smirked.

"That's right! I meant you! BASTARD!"

There, he had done it.

By yelling like that, across the cafeteria, Naruto knew that he'd made the war official. Now everyone would know that he, Uzumaki Naruto had picked a fight with the great Uchiha Sasuke, whom they had all become so fond of.

And...now he doubted there was a chance in hell he and Sasuke would ever get to talk about their shared past. If there had been one there at all that was.

"Well," Sakura said. "I think you're being unreasonable. Shouldn't you of all people know how it feels to be left out?"  
"If you ask me," Chouji offered his opinion, "It's more like he's chosen to be a loner."  
"Yeah, it's not like there's not enough offers around." Kiba added.  
"It's simple, he's just a bastard," Shikamaru mumbled.

"You're just like all the other guys." Ino came back to the table with her tray, "He gets all the girls, and you are just jealous."

"What does it matter? He doesn't want the girls!"  
"But because of him, they don't want you! That's why you're all so negative."  
"Excuse me?!"  
"Oh, sorry Shika. With your attitude, they wouldn't want you anyway."

The brunette pretended to laugh, but allowed himself to give into temptation, throwing a cherry-stone at the blonde girl.

* * *

Gaara was sitting at the kitchen table when Naruto came home.

Shizune was sitting on the chair next to him, that meant they probably had 'class'. The blonde decided not to interrupt, and headed up to their room.

He was supposed to be doing his homework for history class, but it wasn't very tempting. Besides, his mind was too preoccupied with things.

He turned on the CD player, and let his thoughts drift while he sat with his eyes closed, feet on the desk.

After several minutes, he opened his eyes.  
They fell on the small box that stood on the desk.  
He'd eaten the chocolate the day he'd received it, but he didn't want to throw away the box. He still had the card too. And he still wondered who'd given it to him.

The day after he'd received it he'd almost managed to convince himself it was from Sasuke.

But there was just no way.

Firstly, Sasuke couldn't even have known that Naruto attended that school at the time when he received the chocolate. And he didn't seem like the type who gave valentine gifts.  
Certainly not to guys.

And now, there was absolutely no chance.

He'd had some slim hopes that his little arguments with Sasuke could bring them closer together. Maybe they could turn it into a friendly thing, like the way Sakura and Ino interacted with each other.  
But with Sasuke's hostility, and his own short-temperedness... the way it looked now there wouldn't be much reminiscing.  
He realized that.

He had wanted to understand why Sasuke was so cold.  
Now he knew, and he wanted to share his thoughts, to make Sasuke feel that he could relate to someone without being worried about being drowned in questions. He'd wanted to find a way to bring up the past, and maybe awaken the friendship from the past.

But Sasuke wanted no help.  
An outreached hand would be slapped away.  
And now, everything seemed to be ruined.

Naruto gave a deep sigh, closing his eyes.

"Damn it Sasuke..." he mumbled.

"Studying hard?"

Naruto winced, his eyes opening wide. As he looked into aquamarine eyes he nearly tipped backwards.  
Gaara sat on the bed.

"What about him?"  
"Who?"  
"Sasuke."  
"What about Sasuke?"  
"You said his name."  
"Oh," Naruto shifted on the chair. "He's being an impossible jerk."  
"Tell me something I don't know. He's starting to sound like another Sai, the way he's acting."  
"He's not like Sai!" Naruto burst out, a bit too quickly, "I mean...he's...Sai is worse. Sasuke is just...he's..." he wanted to say 'He's not like this.' But he still wasn't sure about sharing the past. Not even with Gaara.

"If you ask me, someone should give them both a real lesson."

Naruto sent him a sharp look.  
It worried him when Gaara talked that way. Especially now.

He hadn't told anyone about the day Gaara had threatened Sasuke, although he knew he should. He'd promised that if his friend ever lost his temper, or showed signs of his violent self, he'd have to let them know.  
But he didn't want to. For Gaara's sake, and for his own.

They might take him away, or medicate him.  
Naruto couldn't stand the thought. What would he do without the moody red?

He stood.  
"Wanna go grab some ramen?"  
"I thought you were studying?"  
"I'll do it later. Come on, it's my treat."  
"Alright," Gaara rose from the bed and followed him down the stairs.  
"But don't kill anyone." Naruto joked.  
"Haha. Moron." Gaara said flatly.

* * *

The week after, things were different again.

Although the spiteful glares between him and the Uchiha were still exchanged, they weren't insulting each other.  
Maybe because they weren't talking at all.  
With Sakura and Ino searching out Sasuke where ever they went, Naruto found himself to be stuck in a glare-match several times a day.

But it remained at that. Just glaring.

He noticed that whenever Kakashi looked over at them during recess, he'd smile and nod.

The teacher probably thought that they were great friends by now.

He frowned inwardly, and joined Kiba in the computer room instead.

Dark eyes followed him as he walked down the hallway.  
In the distance he heard the two girls squeal and giggle, he shook his head.

"I can't believe those two really think Sasuke finds that charming."

"Try letting them know that." Kiba laughed. "You'll be preaching to deaf ears!"

There was no one in the computer room.

A low buzz from the thirty or so computers was all that was heard.

Kiba seated himself at the first computer he saw, next to an open window. Naruto sat down next to him, watching as Kiba started up an online game.  
"We're not supposed to use the school's computers for this," Kiba snickered. "But they play games in the teacher's lounge too. I've seen it."  
"Asuma-sensei also smokes like a chimney, but you don't see the students walking around like advertisemnts for lung-cancer," Naruto pointed out.  
Kiba shook his head. "Don't be such a drag!"

The screen in front of him read 'Game Over', in red letters.  
"This game sucks." Kiba said, typing in a new address. "Here, I'll show you something hilarious, it's bound to make your day better!"  
"Who said I was having a bad day?"  
"You sure don't look like a happy camper," the other pointed out. "But then again, I guess that's what five minutes with Uchiha does to everyone."

Absentmindedly Naruto nodded.  
His eyes wandered to the screen. A colorful background was loading, and several thumbnails popped up.

"Happy tree friends?"  
"Cute and cuddly animals who murder each other. It's advanced entertainment!" Kiba grinned. He clicked one of the thumbnails, and a episode called 'eye candy' started up.

Naruto had to admit, it was funny, although they both cringed in sympathy-pains for the little beaver on screen.  
By the time they watched their third video, they were both laughing so loud it was echoing down the hall.

"Is this what the school's resources are being used for these days?"

Kiba and Naruto both stirred, and turned around.  
But when they saw who it was, they immediately relaxed.  
Kotetsu and Izumo were in the student council. They were responsible for keeping the students 'under control', meaning it was they who kept an eye out for rule breakers.  
But every student at Konoha high knew that they were probably the worst goof-offs of all.

"Oh, it's just Tsunade's spies," Kiba said dryly.  
"Spies?" Izumo chuckled.  
"You two know better than to watch violent cartoons at school." Kotetsu started, but failed to finish his reprimand. "Oh! Click that one! Flippin' Burgers!"  
Izumo eyed him, "We have a test in six minutes. Come on."  
"But, I wanna watch this!"  
The brunette grabbed him by the collar. "You're setting a bad example. Let's go. I'm not failing another test because of you."  
"Oh come on," Kotetsu grinned, "You know you love me."

They disappeared through the door.

"I wonder if they are..." Kiba mumbled.  
"Come on, we've got class too. And if Granny Tsunade catches us, we're dead."

The two boys made their way down the hall, towards the classroom, where Jiraiya awaited with a movie about the reproduction of flowers.  
It was frightfully boring.

"Hey...I was in the faculty office earlier..." Kiba whispered.  
"Hmmm?" Naruto opened a lazy eye.  
"And I happened to see this form. There's a new art teacher starting here. And she's _hot_!"  
"How do you know?"  
"I saw her picture on the application, stupid. It was laying on the reception desk."

"Are you two paying attention?!" the white-haired man boomed.  
"Not really." Naruto replied.  
"I realize that we would all enjoy learning about human reproduction instead. That way we could watch some real interesting movies..." a very strange laugh escaped the teacher's throat. "And I have the proper reading material as well."  
"Those books of yours are forbidden for minors! Or did you forget you perverted old geezer!?" Naruto shrilled.  
"If it's for _learning purposes_ it's fine brat!" the man argued. "More importantly...What is this I hear about a hot new teacher?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.  
Not only were the students idiots, but the teachers were just as bad.  
He listened with half an ear as the annoying shrill that was Naruto's voice continued to argue with the biology teacher.  
Their idiotic discussion went on for more than fifteen minutes, while the movie rambled on on screen, without anyone really paying attention to it.

He was more annoyed than usual when class ended.  
There was ten minutes of spare time between classes, but he didn't bother to leave his seat.  
He stayed put, watching his classmates fussing about.

Somehow he wanted to rip his hair out.  
_"What the hell are you doing?!" _he scolded himself.  
It was true that he couldn't remember much from the time when he and Naruto had been close, but he was certain now that the blonde was the same one.  
At the same time, he wasn't. Because this Naruto was loud, and annoying and...it didn't correspond with the person Sasuke had known.

Then again, if he didn't remember, chances were he was wrong. But last week, when Naruto had been there, standing up for him, Sasuke had found himself wondering what made this guy want to help everyone despite how he was treated.  
And it pissed him off. Not only because he didn't need anyone's help, but because he was stupid enough to snap at him and chase him off.

_"I couldn't have talked to him though. Not with that psycho around..."_ he reminded himself. And again he cursed his own rashness.

How did he plan on getting close enough to bring up the topic if all he did was act like all the others did? Did he really want to get close to him though?  
He'd managed alone for years. Why would he need to dig up dirt from the past?

His thoughts were interrupted.

He looked at the person who'd spoken to him. "What do you want, Sai?" he grumbled.  
"I was just gonna make a suggestion."  
"Yeah?"  
"I've seen you and Uzumaki going at it. I like your style."  
"And? You wanna team up and torture him or something?" Sasuke didn't lift an eyebrow.  
"Well...we need to show him where trash like him belongs."  
"Get lost."  
"Wha-?"  
"Get lost."  
"I get it. You're a loner, eh?" Sai shrugged. "Whatever."

The Uchiha scowled at the other raven when he left the classroom.

He was about to go back to his self-destructing thoughts, when a conversation caught his ear.

"We should all go out again this Friday!"  
"Great idea Sakura!" It was Naruto. "I doubt Gaara will be coming though..."  
"Too bad. I liked him."  
"What do you guys wanna do?"  
"Yakiniku!"  
"Isn't that mandatory when our group goes out by now?" Ino laughed.  
"There's a festival... we could go there afterwards?" Hinata suggested.

Sasuke didn't think, but he stood.  
His legs seemed to move on their own.

"I think it's supposed to rain though."  
"Then we'll just go to the arcade or something." Kiba suggested.  
"Or we could watch a movie at my place; my parents are out of town."  
"I'm sure we'll figure it out. And we could always get together on Saturday too!"  
"Or even Sunday!"  
Sakura suddenly lit up in a smile. "Sasuke-kun!"

The others turned to the Uchiha, standing next to them.

He didn't say anything.

"What do you want?" Kiba grunted.  
Naruto just stared.  
"I was thinking," Sasuke said calmly, "That...if your offer is still standing."

He cursed himself. Why was this so hard?  
He sounded like a moron.  
He wasn't used to interacting with people, and certainly not people he'd rejected a billion times.

"Offer?" Ino's eyes were hopeful.  
"To go with you," somehow he managed to hide his insecurity.  
"Where?" Kiba asked suspiciously.  
"Can I come with you on Friday?"

* * *

TBC

[Thanks so much for reviews and faves! Please contiue to let me know what you think!


	6. Shigatsu part 2

**An:** I know it's not Friday. I was distracted. By...something goldfishmemory  
Happy Belated Valentine's Day! I'm still working on a short and fluffy SasuNaru thing that was supposed to be done for Valentine's but I fail. Anyway, I'll put it up here whenever I can.

Thanks for all reviews and faves! And please enjoy chapter 6!

**Shigatsu,  
p****art 2:**

There, he'd asked.  
And he wanted to kick his own ass for sounding so inferior and uncertain.

The group stared in slight disbelief.  
Uchiha Sasuke was standing before them, _asking _to come with them.  
Kiba's mouth dropped open.  
Hinata played with the zipper of her jacket.  
Ino and Sakura lit up in huge smiles.  
"Of course!"  
"We'd love to! I mean...Sure you can!"

Naruto remained silent.  
Sasuke looked at him. And though he had been determined to act civil, if he had thought anything at all when he decided to come over to them, he couldn't help himself: "You got a problem dobe?"  
"Yeah, your attitude bastard."  
"Naruto!" Sakura hissed.

Any further argument that might have followed was prevented by Kakashi entering the classroom. "Sasuke, can I have a word with you?"  
The Uchiha nodded quietly, exchanged glances with the group and left the class room, walking behind Kakashi.

Sakura and Ino looked at each other and simultaneously burst into an ecstatic squeal.  
For once when it came to Sasuke, they seemed to be agreeing with each other, because they gripped each other's hands, jumping up and down; "We're going out with Sasuke-kun!"  
Some of the other girls in class glanced over at them with looks of annoyance and badly hidden jealousy.

"Ugh," Kiba frowned. "That's bound to be interesting..."  
"To say the least." Shikamaru joined in.  
"Why do you all have to be so negative?! I think it'll be fun!"  
Ino stared daggers at Kiba; "Just try not to make an ass of yourself like you did with Gaara!"  
Naruto laughed. Gaara had told him about the awkward silence after Kiba had attempted to strike up a conversation with the red.  
But he felt the slight insecurity gnaw at him, and also a tinge of excitement. If they could only try to see past the differences that had surfaced between them, then maybe they could have a civilized conversation which could lead to...  
He mentally smacked himself in the head. He was too much of a dreamer.  
There was no way Uchiha Sasuke would put away his hostile attitude to sit down and reminisce about old times.  
Although...He had seemed less hostile just now.

Hadn't he?

It wasn't like him. That's for sure.

Naruto nodded to himself. He _would_ talk to him.  
There was no way Sasuke didn't remember him. Because he'd shown little to no interest in any of the others, meaning the reason he'd asked...Was him.

* * *

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked promptly as he sat down on a chair in Kakashi's office.  
"I talked to Anko."  
"And?"  
"Where were you yesterday?"  
"Why do you care?"  
"Sasuke, there is no use in acting hostile towards me. You know very well that the only reason they allowed you to transfer was that you agreed to see her twice a week."  
The teen stared back at the teacher. Defiance dominated his dark glare.  
"If you keep skipping the appointments, they might send you back."

Sasuke didn't answer.  
His life had been a web of tragedies and he hated talking about it to other people.  
Sadly this was exactly what he had to do.  
Not only was he constantly surrounded by people asking him questions, and pretending to know everything about him, always bringing up the topic he loathed most of all; his life.  
Oh no, he had to see a psychologist twice a week too.  
Anko was her name. This woman, Sasuke had thought upon their first meeting, was a very unconventional person. She didn't seem like your average psychologist at all; she was brash, short-tempered, somewhat sadistic, and most likely in need of therapy herself.  
Despite all of these traits, she still was capable of dull phrases and lame questions, to which Sasuke never gave much of an answer, and spent most of their sessions glaring at the clock, as if trying to make time go faster.

"Do you realize that your freedom can be taken away?" Kakashi probed. He knew that Sasuke had felt at his old school that he was in a prison.  
If he didn't follow the path his old guidance counselor had lain out for him, he risked being taken out of his classes at Konoha high and sent back to the other school.  
"Yes." Sasuke finally ground out.  
"Good. Then I expect you to show for the next appointment."  
He couldn't help but feel like he had a responsibility for the boy in the chair before him.  
He was the one who had gone to the meeting with Sasuke's former principal and teachers, and he was the one who had guided him around school grounds. He was the one who'd made sure he had all the things he needed, and he'd appointed himself as the person Sasuke could come to if there was anything.

Of course, Sasuke never did.  
And it worried him.

He looked at Iruka, and the way he interacted with Naruto. Of course he wished to have the same connection with Sasuke, or else it would be impossible for him to spot the warning signals... He'd seen the boy's file after all.  
But Iruka had been there for Naruto for so many years, it was no way to compare.  
Sasuke was a stubborn kid, who knew what he wanted.  
And what the proud Uchiha did _not_ want, was help, of any kind.

He was aware that it might be a hopeless case, but he wanted to be there for Sasuke, if he could. Not only because he himself felt a strong bond to the Uchiha clan...But because he knew that when Sasuke himself realized that he needed someone there, he wanted to be ready for it.

Now the Uchiha finally said something again: "You don't need to worry. They are all overreacting. I don't need to see her."  
"If you don't-"  
"What? If I miss out on fifty-five minutes of small-talk and staring at the clock twice a week, my life is over?"  
"You know why they want you to see her."  
"Yeah. They think I'm crazy."  
"No. They think you might want to air your thoughts sometimes. Especially after-"  
"I know what happened." Sasuke snarled. "I was there. On all the occasions. And I'm fine."  
It was pointless.  
He sighed. There was no need to stress the matter anymore at the moment.  
Kakashi knew that Sasuke would wind up going to see Anko in two days anyway, because he hated having nothing to do.

Changing the subject he said; "I see you're getting friendlier with the class? That's good."  
"If that's what you want to call it." the raven muttered.  
The teacher shook his head. "There's no shame in having friends Sasuke."  
Sasuke looked at him as if he was retarded.  
Kakashi went on completely unaffected: "Sakura and Ino looked happy?"  
Sasuke shrugged. "I guess."  
"Why?" he probed.  
"I'm going out with them on Friday."  
Kakashi arched an eyebrow. "With both? My, my Sasuke, aren't you quite the ladiesman?"  
Sasuke frowned. "With the whole group idiot."  
"You know, that's no way to talk to a teacher."  
"Can I go now?"  
The man sighed. "Yes. You can go. But remember that Anko expects you to show next time."

Sasuke grabbed his backpack, brushing Kakashi off, and disappeared through the door.

Walking down the hall he glared straight forward, rather than looking back at the girls that were ogling him, or the guys who were also looking.  
It seemed there was always a reason to stare at Uchiha Sasuke.  
He was not amused.

The whispers behind him were pretty much like nails on a blackboard; screeching, annoying.  
If it could be classified as whispering at all; squealing girls usually weren't very good at whispering.  
It caused Sasuke to remember once again that he hated girls.

He turned a corner, stopping outside his locker.  
Sasuke really didn't feel like going to class.  
His schedule told him his next class was chemistry, which made him even more reluctant;.the chemistry teacher was to say the least freaky.  
The first thing you'd notice about him was his pale skin and narrow, snake-like eyes. His hair was long and pitch black, which made his skin look even more sickly pallid than it already was.  
The there was his tongue; it was long and just as snake-like. Now and then he'd flick it out and lick his lips or something, while looking at a student.  
But that was nothing compared to how he looked at them in general.  
Especially the boys.  
And especially him.  
Sasuke shuddered.

Whenever he entered the classroom, Orochimaru would inevitably stare at him, holding his gaze, licking his lips until he had some sort of excuse to drag him up to the front of the class.  
Sasuke had always been good at chemistry, so he was used to being up there, but not like in Orochimaru's classes, where the man was constantly trying to grope him.  
His first chemistry lesson at Konoha High was burned into his memory. The teacher had entered the classroom, spotted him and immediately come over to his desk.

"Well..." he'd said. "Who might you be?"  
His skeletal hand had reached out, touching Sasuke's hair. He'd jerked away, scowling at the man. "Uchiha Sasuke."  
"Ah, so _you're_ Uchiha Sasuke."  
Well duh. Wasn't that obvious?  
"I've seen your grades. Nice." his gaze wandered up and down, lingering a little too long at all the wrong places.  
Again he licked his lips. "_Very _nice..."

Sasuke slammed his locker shut.  
He was absolutely not going back to class today.  
A freaky pervert and girls fawning all over him. Not his scene.  
In any case, his old school still wanted to keep him, so he could just tell them he'd been confused on which lessons to show up for.  
Nodding to himself he headed for the exit.

And as he went through the door he refused to admit to himself that a small part of him didn't want to show because of his pride. He felt humiliated. Although there shouldn't be anything wrong with asking to go out with someone.  
Unless you were Uchiha Sasuke.

* * *

Sakura looked around with disappointment. "I wonder where Sasuke went?"  
Chouji pulled a chocolate bar out of his bag. "Maybe he went to eat?"  
"In the middle of class?" Ino sighed.  
"Maybe Orochimaru freaked him out?" Kiba suggested. "I know I want to flee his classes..."  
Shikamaru led the way out the door. "Or maybe his pride couldn't take having to ask to accompany us."  
"Probably."  
"Why do you guys have to be so mean?!"  
"They're just jealous." Ino said. "I wonder what I should wear..."  
"Wanna go shopping after school?" Sakura asked her.  
"Absolutely! You're coming too, right Hinata?"  
"I guess..." the girl replied meekly, nodding.

* * *

Hinata wasn't the only one who wound up coming along that afternoon.  
"Remind me _why_ I'm here again?" Shikamaru groaned.  
"Because being social is a good thing." Ino patted him on the shoulder. "And, because we need some strong and manly men to carry the bags!"  
Sakura giggled.  
"I don't see what the big deal is," Naruto said. "I think it's pretty cool to be out with everyone like this!"  
The brunette shook his head, rolling his eyes.  
"Actually, I agree!" Chouji exclaimed. "Look! Free candy!" he helped himself to a few more of the peppermint-chocolate candy in a porcelain bowl on a round table besides them.  
"I...I don't think those are free Chouji..." Hinata pointed out.  
"Oh?" the boy wondered, mouth full of sweets.  
"Yeah, it says right here moron:" Kiba started, reading the little sign next to the bowl out loud. "One free for each of our customers."  
"So what?" Couji shrugged, smiling. "Those two are shopping enough for the entire town! I deserve these!"  
"Somehow, that makes no sense." the doglover said, sticking himself a piece of candy as well.

"Naruto!" Sakura chirped. "Get over here! Try this on!"  
The blonde turned to look at her.  
She was holding a button-up shirt, smiling sweetly.  
"Orange?!" Kiba burst out. "Who the hell wears orange these days?!"  
"Or at all..."

Naruto grinned, running over to the girl.  
"Awesome!"  
"Try it on!" she said again.  
Naruto turned his back, letting her help him get it on over his black tee.  
"What do you think?" he grinned, striking a pose.  
"Lookin' good!" Ino admitted.  
"Yeah?" he struck another pose, this time watching himself in the mirror. "Hey, it does look good!"  
"It's settled then, no one wears orange like Uzumaki Naruto!"  
Sakura adjusted the collar, smiling. "You should get it."  
Naruto's smile faded.  
He took the shirt off.  
"I don't really have any money on me..."

Sakura bit her lip.  
Everyone knew that Naruto wasn't exactly rich. At the orphanage, all costs were barely covered, there wasn't much left for the kids to spend on themselves.  
She hadn't considered that. All of a sudden she felt really bad, and cursed herself for not thinking.

"You know what," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'll pay for it."  
"Sakura-chan...You don't have to..."  
"Don't mention it. You look totally cool in it!"  
Ino came over with the same shirt, only in black. "Let's get this one too while we're at it."  
Sakura smiled. "Yeah. You'll need a spare."  
"But...I can't...You..." Naruto protested.  
"Don't worry about it, it's two for one!"  
"But...I'm gonna have to pay you back..."  
"Don't worry about it." she assured. "They're not that expensive, and besides, I can wait."  
"I should pay you back." he insisted.  
"You could always promise her a dance or something." Ino nudged him.  
"Yeah! The next time we go out, you have to dance with me."  
Naruto wiggled his eyebrows; "Are you flirting with me?"  
The girl stuck her tongue out and headed for the cashier.

After having paid, the group headed for a nearby bakery.

They sat at a table by the window, ordering a slice of cake each.  
It was coated in whipped cream, with strawberry filling.  
They ate and talked.

Inevitably though, it had to come up:  
"What's the deal with Sasuke anyway?"  
"What do you mean Kiba?"  
"I mean, why would he want to go out with us all of a sudden?"  
"He's probably just playing hard to get." Ino smirked. "Even guys are allowed to do that you know."  
"Still, why would we want to hang out with us now? He never seemed interested before."  
Kiba took another bite from his cake. "Why would he want to hang with us when he's just as much of an asshole as Sai is?"  
"He's not that bad!"  
"Really?" Kiba glared at Sakura. "When was the last time he said something nice to Naruto for example?"  
"I..." Sakura bit her lip, staring down at her plate.  
"You know..." Naruto started. "I think that Sasuke's just being Sasuke..."  
"What do you mean?"  
"We all know the story right?" Naruto said, an iron claw gripping his heart as he thought of what Iruka had told him. "Anyone who lived through that would end up a little withdrawn, don't you think? So maybe it's just hard for him to approach people?"  
"That doesn't defend acting like a bastard."  
"Naruto, you say that so easily...But you..."

Azure orbs looked away for a second, then focused at his friends again. "That's precisely why. I can relate to him. I mean I didn't live through it the way he did...But the loneliness is still the same. The feeling of not belonging."  
His words were raw.

None of the others said anything. Their looks became uncertain, and wandered.  
It was strange to hear Naruto himself talk about it, rather than hearing about his life from others.

"We know nothing about him." Naruto continued. "We don't know what's happened to him before he came back here."  
_"But I'm gonna find out." _he told himself.  
"You're right Naruto-kun..." Hinata said meekly. "We should d-do our best to m-make him feel i-integrated..."  
"Even if he acts like a jerk." Kiba growled.  
"It's probably just uncertainty." Ino added.  
"Somehow I doubt that. But whatever it is, I guess we'll just have to live with him..." Shikamaru sighed.  
Naruto smiled.  
"I'm sure he'll appreciate our effort."  
"I'm already on it." Ino said, smiling confidently. "I'm asking him out."  
"You already got turned down!" Sakura protested.  
"So did you, but that doesn't stop you and your large forehead from..."

The boys frowned losing interest as the two girls started arguing on which of them Sasuke would marry, while Hinata tried to make them stop arguing, by reminding them that Sasuke hadn't seemed interested in either of them. Unfortunately, her soft voice was drowned out by the two others'.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Naruto grabbed his bag and dug around in it, pulling out a book.  
"Does anyone know what's our homework for tomorrow?"  
Shino pointed at two pages full of questions.  
"ALL OF THESE?!" Naruto shrilled. "I'm dead."  
"Unless..." Kiba jerked his head at the brunette sitting at his side.  
Naruto's eyes glowed. "Shika! Please!"  
"What?" the boy barely spared him a glance, over his coffee cup.  
Naruto didn't understand how he could drink that stuff.  
"Let me copy your answers! Please!"  
"Why?"  
"We're friends! It's normal!"  
Shikamaru rolled his eyes, but decided not to waste time arguing with the blonde. "Fine." he reached for his own book, and handed it to Naruto.  
"Thanks Shika!" Naruto beamed, immediately starting to copy Shikamaru's answers.  
"Don't call m- whatever..." Shikamaru went back to his coffee.

"How can you take pride in delivering something you didn't write?" it seemed Sakura was done fighting with Ino.  
"But I do write myself! Most of the time..." Naruto rubbed his neck. "I just...make Gaara think of the answers for me..."  
Sakura smacked him in the head with one of the books. "Naruto!"  
"What? Who needs brains when they've got beauty?" he flashed a grin.  
"You're talking to the wrong person." Ino smirked. "Sakura wouldn't know anything about neither."  
"And you do, _pig?!_"

"Excuse me, kids?" a waitress, probably in her mid-forties, came over to their table. "You're going to have to keep it down."  
Some of the other customers glared at them over their newspapers and shook their heads.  
Naruto stuck out his tongue, still grinning. "We're sorry..."  
Hinata turned bright red, and the other girls blushed as well.

When the woman turned her back they all burst into laughter.

* * *

"Where've you been?"

Naruto kicked his shoes off, staring at his friend.  
A girl with pig-tails was hanging from Gaara's arm.

"I went to a bakery with some friends... Here!" Naruto gave him a small plastic box. "I brought you some cake."  
"Cake?"  
"Yeah. We had cake. And did homework."  
"Who did you copy?" Gaara rolled his eyes.  
Naruto laughed. "Oh shut up. It saves you a lot of trouble, doesn't it?"  
Gaara shrugged. "I don't mind."

There was something slightly different in his tone, but it was gone in the next second.  
He followed Gaara into the kitchen, and watched him as he got out a plate, and sat down to eat the cake.

"Is it someone's birthday Gaara-nii?" the girl asked, still clinging to him.  
Gaara shook his head.  
"Why do you ask?" Naruto inquired.  
"We never have cake, unless it's someone's special day."

Naruto bit his lip. He'd forgotten that it wasn't fair to the kids to bring home a treat like this when there wasn't enough for everyone.  
The kids here lived a pretty good life, but they didn't have the same luxury that other kids took for granted.  
He forced himself to smile, touching his hand to her head. "That's pretty often though, we're not exactly few who live here!"  
She grinned. "You're right! We had cake just last week!"  
"That's right." Naruto nodded. "And since Gaara didn't want any then, I'm just giving him his share now. You understand?"  
She nodded, and ran back into the living room.

"What's in the bag?" Gaara jerked his head.  
"Oh! Shirts."  
"Shirts?"  
"Yeah, Sakua got them for me."  
"Sakura?" Gaara looked at him curiously.  
"Yeah. She insisted. But I'm gonna pay her back. Somehow."  
The red gave him an inquiring look, but said nothing. He brought the last piece of cake to his lips. Naruto watched him.  
Gaara stood, cleaned off his plate and headed upstairs.

The blonde was left in the kitchen. He sighed, Gaara would forever be someone it was impossible to understand.  
Most people would think he was mad, the way he just left. But Naruto knew that it wasn't like that. Gaara was just being Gaara.Grabbing a glass of juice, he went into the living room, joining the kids who were playing video games.

* * *

Sasuke glared fiercely at the clock, as if thinking that if he only stared hard enough, time would go faster. It didn't.

Anko looked at him over her notepad.  
"Why are you so angry?" she asked.  
He didn't answer.  
"You know, just because I want to see you twice a week and talk, it doesn't mean you're crazy. Just..."  
"Emotionally unbalanced." he said hollowly. He'd heard it far too many times.  
"It's good for you to talk a little, and no one is judging you. You're allowed to say whatever you want."  
"Or don't want."  
She sighed. He was so stubborn.  
"Don't you feel that it's nice, to get to air your thoughts? I know you don't talk to a lot of people..."  
"Oh really? You do?" Sasuke turned to look at her so quickly and with a glare so fierce Anko almost jumped in her chair. "You know who I talk to or not?! What are you, stalking me?"  
He regretted that last part the minute it left his lips; now she'd label him as paranoid as well.  
"You have to admit, you're not the most social..."  
"Really? What if I told you I'm going out with my classmates on Friday?"  
Her face lit up. "You are?!"  
Sasuke looked at the clock. "Time's up. See you next week." He slipped out through the door, and slammed it shut.

Anko stared at the door.  
She shook her head, but smirked.  
She scribbled on her notepad: _"Progress."_

* * *

As Sasuke walked out into the waiting area, heading for the front door, he wondered if it had been wise of him to let Anko know. She'd probably wind up stressing it way to much during the next appointment.  
Honestly, that woman did not know when to shut up. Or maybe she just didn't know how.  
He rolled his eyes.

While he was waiting for the lady at the counter to sign his card, and put up the next appointment, his gaze wandered.  
He thought he saw someone familiar down the hall, following a blonde woman.  
The boy himself had short, red hair.  
Sasuke squinted. _"Naruto's friend?"_

"Here you go Sasuke, see you next week."

He accepted the card, and noticed that he could no longer see the red headed boy.

* * *

The rain was pouring.

Naruto looked at the alarm clock on the desk.  
They had agreed to meet in an hour, but the weather made it pretty impossible to do any of the things they'd planned. At least Naruto wasn't tempted to go outside.

A cheerful ringing filled the room.

"Hello?"  
_"Naruto? It's Ino. Have you looked outside?"  
_He glanced out the window again. "Yeah."  
_"Then you know that the weather kinda..."  
_"Sucks? Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing."  
_"We all were. So we've decided to just stay here instead. If that's ok with you?"  
_"Sure." he nodded, well-aware that she couldn't see it.  
_"I just wanted to let you know. Sakura is calling the others. You know where I live, right?"  
_"Yup." Naruto plopped down on the bed.  
_"Good! Oh! Can you drop by the store on the way here? We need some more soda! And you live closer than any of us." _her tone was almost apologetic.  
"No problem. I'll go."  
_"Thanks! See you at seven then!"  
_"Alright. Bye!" he hung up.

Half an hour later he was getting ready to go.  
He was just about to put his shoes on, when Gaara came into the hall. "Where are you going?" he asked.  
Naruto looked up at the red; his arms were crossed over his chest.  
"Over to Ino's. You wanna come?"  
Gaara shook his head. "Not really."  
"Didn't think so."  
"Who's gonna be there?"  
"Sakura, Shikamaru, Chouji, Kiba...Shino and Hinata." Naruto listed. "Oh, and Sasuke."  
"Sasuke?" Gaara's voice was sounding more than slightly surprised.  
"Yeah... He asked if it was ok if he came."  
"Doesn't sound like him."  
Naruto shrugged. "As long as he behaves."  
"I guess."  
Naruto placed his hand gently on Gaara's shoulder. "You sure you don't want to come?"  
Gaara offered him a small smile. "I'm sure. Don't worry about me."  
"Alright. I'll be home later."  
"Have fun." Gaara turned and went back inside.

* * *

Even with his jacket on, Naruto was convinced he'd be soaked before he even got to Ino's house. Cursing, he made his way up to the store.  
He picked out four large bottles of soda, and headed for the counter. He was about to pay, but a voice cut him off: "I'll take it."  
He turned around. "Sasuke?"  
"Is there a problem?" the cashier asked.  
"No. No problem." Naruto stuttered.  
Sasuke paid with his credit card, and handed one of the bags to Naruto.

They exited the store.

"What was that all about?"  
"What?" Sasuke looked at him.  
"Why'd you pay?"  
Sasuke shrugged. "You mind?"  
"Actually-" Naruto stopped himself. Although it was true that he wanted to spend as little of his money as possible, he didn't like having to depend on everyone else. The whole town didn't need to know that he was broke.  
"Forget it." the raven said. "We're both going the same way, right? So who cares who paid?"

This was strange; talking to Sasuke like this.  
And the Uchiha was actually acting normal. Naruto smiled to himself. Maybe this was it?  
A chance?

"Who called you?"  
"Shino." Sasuke replied.  
"Figures that he'd have your number. That guy knows so much it's freaky." Naruto chuckled.  
He was amazed at how calm he was.  
"Hey," Sasuke said. "You know where Ino lives?"  
"Yeah. Of course." Naruto smiled. "I can show you?"  
"Thanks. Get in the car."  
"Car?!" Naruto's eyes widened.  
Sasuke said nothing. He headed for a dark, sleek car at the end of the parking lot.  
Naruto's mouth almost dropped open.  
Everyone knew that Sasuke probably was the sole heir to a huge fortune. But none of Naruto's friends drove, even though they were allowed to. It had never occurred to him that Sasuke did.

Two short beeps sounded as Sasuke turned off the alarm and got in. He gestured for Naruto to get in too.  
This was even stranger.  
Not only the fact that Sasuke was acting this way. But the two of them alone like this, for the first time in years. Except for that time when Gaara had shown up.  
He swallowed. He didn't know what to say next.

"Tell me where to drive." Sasuke said, steering the car out on the road.  
"Straight ahead and to the left." Naruto replied.

The radio was playing quietly.  
When Naruto listened carefully, he could tell it was 'Dirty little secret' by that American band that was playing.  
What were they called again..? All-American Rejects?  
He glanced over at Sasuke, as if trying to spot something that could reveal that he remembered.  
But the raven kept his eyes fixated on the road.

"Left again." Naruto said.  
Sasuke turned to the left. He still didn't spare Naruto a glance.

The blonde wished he would say _something_. He didn't like this silence.  
Still, Sasuke made no effort to strike up a conversation. Had he expected otherwise?  
No.  
Naruto sighed mentally.  
Maybe this was a bad time, but at least there was no one else around, and Sasuke wasn't acting like an ass. He took a deep breath.

"S-Sasuke?"  
"Yeah?"  
"To the right..."Naruto gestured and swallowed again. "Do you..."  
"What?" his voice was impatient.  
"Do you re-"  
In the next second Naruto's heart had leaped into his throat, as Sasuke stepped hard on the brakes.  
"Shit!"

Regaining his breath, Naruto blinked twice looking over at Sasuke.  
The car had stopped aslant in the middle of the road.  
Sasuke leaned back in the seat, taking a deep breath.

"You didn't see it?"  
"See what?"  
"The cat."  
Naruto glanced out the window on Sasuke's side.  
A dark shadow was staring back at him from the side of the road. It's eyes were gleaming in the light from the headlights.  
"At least you didn't hit it..."  
"Damn idiotic animal." Sasuke muttered, starting up the car again.

Well that was a disaster.  
In the depth of his mind, Naruto wondered if Sasuke had stopped so abruptly because he had been about to ask him if he remembered. But that was unlikely.  
He'd seen the cat after all.  
It was probably just a coincidence. But just in case, he kept his mouth shut about it for now.

He didn't say anything for the rest of the drive. Just guided Sasuke through the streets, until they finally arrived at Ino's house.

Sasuke parked in the driveway.  
He finally looked over at Naruto.  
"You're wet." he stated.  
Naruto looked down at himself. His jacket was soaked from the rain earlier, and his sweater was wet underneath it.  
The Uchiha leaned over him, fumbling for something in the floor.  
Naruto's heart beat slightly faster for some reason.

Sasuke came back up with a bag. He opened it, and pulled out a dark sweater. "Wear this." he said, throwing it at Naruto.  
The blonde stared at the sweater.  
"Come on. Hurry." Sasuke ordered.  
Naruto nodded, getting rid of the jacket, pulling his own sweater over his head.  
Sasuke's sweater was a bit too big, but it was warm and comfortable.  
"Thanks."  
Sasuke nodded in response, and got out of the car, taking the bags of soda with him.

Ino's face was an entire big smile when she opened the door.  
"Hey Naruto! Sasuke-kun!" her voice dissolved in a squeal.  
She shooed them inside.  
"The others are already here." She chirped. "Let me take those." she took the bags from Sasuke. "We're in the living room!"  
Their hands touched for a moment when she took the bags. She blushed.  
Sasuke rolled his eyes. _"What am I doing?"_

Ino's house was neat and tidy with various flowers everywhere.  
In the living room, Chouji, Kiba and Shino were sitting on the couch looking at the tv screen. A music video was playing, a cheery pop tune filling the room.  
"Where's Shika?" Naruto slouched next to Kiba.  
"In the kitchen with the girls." he replied. "They're making him help with the pizza."  
"Pizza?"  
"Homemade."  
"Sakura's making pizza?" Naruto's lip twitched. "Are you sure that's safe!"  
"I heard that Naruto!" she barked from the kitchen.  
He laughed.

Sasuke sat in a chair. He figured that he wouldn't have to be squished in-between the two clingy girls this way.

"What are we watching?" Naruto asked.  
Hinata placed the third pizza on the table. "I'm n-not s-sure..."  
"I was thinking a horror movie..." Ino said.  
Of course. What better excuse to cling onto the Uchiha?  
"Hey! You guys have Kung-Pow!" Kiba exclaimed over by the tv.  
"Would you stop raiding the video cabinet?!"  
"Can we watch this? Pleeeaaase?"  
"I wanna see it too!" Naruto jumped to his feet.  
"But it sucks!"  
"It's a classic!" Kiba insisted.  
"It's a tragic, bad example of a parody!" Sakura glared at the dvd in his hand.  
"Can't we just w-watch both m-movies?"  
Ino sighed with resignation. "Fine fine. Shikamaru, go check on the pizza!"

The boy muttered, but went into the kitchen.

With Sasuke sitting in the chair, Sakura and Ino's plan failed, but all in all the night was still a success.  
Naruto had to laugh at Hinata, she flinched at everything throughout the horror movie.  
He offered to sit next to her, but she shook her head violently, and mumbled something incoherent. He had to admit the movie was pretty freaky though.  
But Shino and Sasuke still seemed indifferent. Shino's face was expressionless, and Sasuke... He was plain impossible to read.  
Was he bored?  
Did he regret coming here?  
The boy seemed annoyed at how the girls were all over him once the movies were done, but it didn't seem like he was going to pick up and leave just yet.  
He didn't participate much in any of the conversations they had, but he offered his opinion now and again.

When Ino got out her camera and went all paparazzi, he wasn't pleased with all the attention he got, but still allowed her to make him join in on the group photo.

"She's gonna use these pictures as evidence that Sasuke was really in her house..." Kiba whispered to Chouji.  
The girl glared.  
"You have to send me the photos!" Sakura demanded. "I forgot my camera!"

Right before midnight, Naruto's phone rang.  
The conversation lasted only a minute or so.  
"Who was that?" Kiba asked.  
"Shizune. I have to go. Curfew."  
"Awwh, that's too bad!"  
"I'm sure I can stay a bit longer..."  
Sasuke stood. "Let's go dobe."  
"Huh?"  
"I'm driving you home."  
"I just said I can stay!"  
"You'll get into trouble. Let's go."  
Naruto stared at Sasuke. "What's with the bossy attitude?!"  
"I'm offering you a ride moron."  
"If you want to go home, just go. I'm staying longer."  
"Fine." Sasuke shrugged. "Walk in the rain."

It struck Naruto how childish the Uchiha was acting. He had to smile.  
Childish meant normal.  
He caught a glimpse out the window, and saw the enormous masses of water pouring down.

"Uh...Sasuke?" he grinned sheepishly.  
Sasuke gave a short nod again. "Hurry up then."

Both Ino and Sakura were ready to jump Sasuke, and hug him goodbye, but he easily brushed past them.

"It was great you guys!" Naruto smiled.  
"Yeah!"  
"I'll call you tomorrow." Kiba said.  
"Okay. Bye you guys!"  
"Bye!"  
"Bye Sasuke-kun!"  
Sasuke mumbled a quiet "Bye."  
Naruto hugged all three girls, and ran to the car.

"Sasuke-teme! Hurry up! I'm drowning!"  
Sasuke walked down the driveway and got in the car.

They drove in silence.  
The radio was just as low as before. A man was reading the news in a frightfully boring, monotonous and dry voice.  
Naruto broke the silence.  
"You don't have to drive me all the way to the orphanage. Just drop me off somewhere."  
"Don't worry about it. I'm driving you."  
_"As long as I don't have to spend too much time in that house."  
_"Alright then." Naruto shrugged.  
"Up here right?"  
"Yeah."  
_"Woah," _Naruto thought. _"It's starting to sound like a real conversation!"  
_"Left?"  
"Yup." he nodded. "Hey, you wanna go with us tomorrow?"  
"No." Sasuke's answer came. "I can't. I have some things to do."  
"Sunday?"  
"Sorry."  
_"Damn it! Why are you so cold?!"  
_"See you at school then."  
Sasuke pulled up at the gate. "Yeah."  
Naruto reached for his wet clothes.  
"Keep the sweater."  
"Thanks." Naruto grabbed the door handle.  
"Whatever. Now get out."  
Sasuke was back to being cold and slightly hostile, but Naruto knew it wasn't full heartedly this time. He was sure of it, because the Sasuke he'd sat in the car with, was almost a little like the Sasuke he remembered from years ago.  
He slammed the car door shut, and smiled.  
Sasuke had already averted his eyes though.

Seconds later, the engine started up and Sasuke drove down the road.  
He'd been cold. But Naruto'd seen something there. Something he recognized.  
"You're loosing it!" he called down the street, after the car.

* * *

"Had fun?" Gaara asked.  
"Yeah. You should've been there."  
"Nah, I'm not much for social gatherings. You know that"  
"That's why you're sitting alone in the dark?"  
Gaara smiled. "Someone had to wait up for you."  
"I'm surprised miss manager didn't take care of that herself."  
"Leave it to the boy with insomnia." Gaara still had a mischievous smile on his lips. "Now lock the door and go to bed."  
"What about you?"  
"Do I look sleepy to you?"  
"You look dead tired, as always."  
"What do you want me to do? Come upstairs with you and read you a bedtime story?"  
Naruto stuck his tongue out at the redhead.

"Sakura got you the sweater too?"  
Naruto looked down his own body. "Oh...It's Sasuke's."  
Gaara furrowed his brow. "Sasuke's?"  
"He lent it to me. Since mine was wet from the rain."  
"Sasuke did?" Gaara didn't sound convinced at all.  
"He did. I think he's improving!"  
"Really?" Gaara shook his head. "I find that doubtful."  
Naruto stared at him.  
"Come on, let's go upstairs. Curfew, you know."  
The blonde nodded, following his friend upstairs.

_"You're wrong about Sasuke, Gaara."_

* * *

Monday morning came, and the class was met by Tsunade and Kakashi.  
"Before we begin today's lesson, Tsunade just wanted to inform you of something." Kakashi stared.  
The class groaned in response. That rarely meant anything good.  
"From today on, and two months ahead, the Study Hours on Monday will be replaced by art lessons."  
"Art?!"  
"I thought art was only an extra curricular?!"  
"Yes, we've entered a program together with other schools in the district, it's to make youths like yourself show an interest in art. And after the two months are over, the products of the lessons will be used to decorate the new cultural center."  
Some of the students seemed excited, others yawned or rolled their eyes. Sasuke was indifferent. Naruto was barely awake.  
Shikamaru muttered about how it was all troublesome.

No matter what the students thought, the program had already started.

When the fifth period started, they were all assembled in the largest of the classrooms, the art room. It was normally only used after school, by the art club. Or when there was a shortage of rooms. Instead of normal desks, the room was filled up by big, round tables.  
Shikamaru's group was seated at one of them, in the middle of the classroom. Sasuke was sitting with them too, more because he'd been pulled down by Sakura the minute he walked in than anything else.

"Just wait..." Kiba whispered. "Now she's coming."  
"Who?"  
"The new art teacher!"  
Naruto remembered Kiba talking about some hot new art teacher.  
He shook his head.  
"I'm telling you. Just wait till you see her!" Kiba grinned. "Even _you_, Uchiha Sasuke the ice prince, will react!"  
Sasuke cocked an eyebrow.

They stared at the door with anticipation. It slid open slowly, and Tsunade came in, along with Jiraiya and what they presumed was their new teacher.  
Kiba nudged Naruto and Shikamaru, his eyes focused on the unknown person, who was surprisingly young, and blonde.

"Class, this is the new art teacher. Deidara."  
The blonde nodded, looking at them with one sky-blue eye, the other was hidden behind a curtain of golden hair.  
A buzz went through the crownd of students:  
"Young!  
"Cute!"  
"Look! Look!"

Jiraiya nonchalantly walked up to the young teacher. "She just graduated from the Art Academy, and will be joining us for a few months. She'll both be teaching, as well as observing our routines, getting practice in the teacher profession. Be nice to her, alright?" He smirked, wrapping his arm around the art teacher's shoulder. "If these brats cause you any trouble, just let me know, alright my dear?"  
The art teacher glared at him with one blue eye. A vein popped on Deidara's forehead.  
"I. Am. A. _GUY_, yeah!" 'she' snarled, pulling away from the biology teacher.  
"What?! But...You...Y-you're..."  
"This is why I told you to read his papers!" Tsunade rubbed her temple. "But you just looked at the picture...Didn't you?!"

The class jawdropped.  
The gorgeous blonde standing before them was a man.  
A guy.  
A he.

Kiba stared in disbelief. "No...way..."  
Naruto burst out laughing. "Ahahaha! Nice going Kiba!" he slapped him on the back. "I knew you'd come out of the closet some day!"  
He laughed so hard he was almost crying.  
Soon after pretty much all the girls in class joined in. While the guys were still dumbstruck.

"Calm down!" Tsunade thundered. "With the exception of his gender, Jiraiya managed to give you the right announcement. I'm impressed."  
A few of the students laughed.  
"For the first month he won't be alone with you. There will be a teacher with you to supervise him at all times. But what he says is law, just like with other teachers. Please respect him."  
With that, the principal left the room, leaving Jiraiya to look after the rookie and his new class.

The white-haired man looked at the class, sighed, looked at Deidara, then at the class again and then back at the art teacher. "Are you sure you're a..."  
Deidara scowled. "_YES, yeah!"  
_Jiraiya held up his hands in front of himself. "Alright. Alright. Just asking."

The first art lesson was spent sketching still-life: Apples, books, bowls and anything else that lay around the room.  
Naruto found it frightfully boring.  
He glanced over at Sasuke. The raven was doing the finishing touches on his drawing of the plant on the table before them. Although the sketch was really good, Naruto doubted he was enjoying it any more than any of the others at the table.  
Kiba seemed to have given up completely, and had resorted to scribbling puppies and stick figures on his piece of paper instead.  
Shikamaru had drawn one line, and then given up.

Deidara was at the front of the classroom yelling at someone for not taking the subject seriously.  
"The world is nothing without art! It needs to be loved and respected! Only then can it grow to be appreciated! Now start over, yeah!"

Naruto frowned. The guy was a total maniac.  
Then again, weren't all geniuses?  
Worse than anything else, was the fact that the young teacher had been captivated by one student in particular. It was no surprise. But to hear a teacher actually _praising _Sai was more than unusual.

An hour later the class finally came to an end.

"Next week we'll be working more on still life, and maybe even move on to portraits!" Deidara announced. It seemed he'd accustomed quickly to his role as a teacher.  
"There are no classes next week!"  
"Yeah, it's Golden Week!"  
Deidara almost looked insulted. "Then rehearse at home, yeah? Art never rests! It must be nurtured!"  
His voice was drowned out as the bell rang.  
The class started rushing past him, out the door.

Naruto stuffed his pencil case into his backpack.  
"Jeez, what a complete psycho!" Someone muttered as they passed him.  
"I believe it's called enthusiasm..."  
"I'll be damned," Sai was there, next to him. "It's hard for me to admit this, but I think I finally found someone who's even more dickless than you are!"  
Naruto opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off.  
"I'm sure you'll get plenty of chances to find out. He seems to like you."  
"Keep your nose out of this Uchiha."  
Sasuke didn't grace the young artist with an answer.  
He merely brushed past him, uttering a quiet 'hn', as he left.  
Naruto threw his backpack over his shoulder. "Dammit! Sasuke-teme!" he yelled, chasing after him. "I can deal with him myself!"

Deidara arched an eyebrow, smirking. "So that's Uchiha Sasuke..."

* * *

TBC

[Until next week guys!


	7. Gogatsu

**Disclaimer:**  
Blablabla...I don't own anything. I have no money. Kishimoto kills off all my faves TTaTT

**Author's Notes:**  
I'm very busy this weekend D: Sorry for the delay.

There's a lot of lame stuff in this chapter (again), and that it seems like Sasuke is constantly changing his mind and opinions, and in a way...he is. The kid is twisted, let's give him a chance.  
I need things to seem a bit confusing at the time for the plot to work atm. But I think that it'll all clear up from the next chapter forward, so please put up with my stupidity for a bit longer! gives cookies as bribes

Ah, also I have never played DDR, but I'm addicted to the song Love Love Shine.  
And yes, I made Chiyo baa-sama the president of the orphanage, because she was the only old person who approves of Naruto and wasn't already planned to be among the teachers. so yeah. Random. But I think it works

* * *

**Gogatsu **

"Are you guys going anywhere for Golden Week?" Naruto asked.  
"I'm going to visit my grandma, but only for the weekend."  
"My mother is dragging me and my dad to Kyoto..." Shikamaru rolled his eyes, placing his coffee cup on the table before them.  
"What are you doing Naruto?"  
"Nothing really... We're taking the kids out on Children's Day though."  
"Where?"  
"To the park. There's a lot of stuff going on there every year."  
"Sounds fun."  
"Yeah." Naruto nodded. "But tiresome. More than twenty kids to keep an eye on. It's no easy job!"  
Sakura laughed. "I can imagine."

It was Friday.

After school Sakura, Shikamaru and Naruto had stopped by the bakery to do some homework and treat themselves to some cake. Now Kiba came through the door, with Shino tagging along.  
He plopped down on the chair next to Naruto. Shino remained standing.  
"Can't talk!" Kiba grabbed Naruto's plate, helping himself to some cake, "Akamaru is tied up outside. He hates to be alone. He'll start biting people's legs..."  
"Get your own cake! Moocher!" Naruto snagged the plate back from him.  
Kiba grinned.  
"You have crumbs on your face." Shikamaru stated.

"We're not doing anything this weekend, are we?"  
"No one has planned anything...Why?"  
"We're taking the dogs to the next town, for this huge dogshow. Akamaru's entering."  
"Cool!"  
"Yeah. I just hope he's nice to the judges..."  
"Don't worry about it, I'm sure he'll behave."  
Kiba snatched Naruto's soda bottle, drank half of it and stood. "I'm off! I'll call you when we're at the show!"  
"Good luck!"  
"See ya!"  
"Moocher..."

Kiba disappeared just as quickly as he'd appeared, with Shino following behind him, carrying with him a paper bag. Naruto winced. When had he moved to the counter and ordered something?! He shook his head. That guy still creeped him out a little.

He turned back to his friends.  
"What are you reading?" he asked.  
Sakura looked up from her book. "French." she replied with a grimace. "Je déteste le français!"  
Naruto stared blankly at her.  
"I don't speak French." she explained.  
"That translates into 'I _hate_ French.'" Shikamaru translated.  
Naruto laughed. He sipped at his soda, glancing out the window.

A van passed by, some school girls walked down the street laughing.  
On the other side of the road, he thought he spotted Sasuke.  
He looked closer. It was definitely him.

Over the last week Sasuke had more or less allowed himself to tag along with the group.  
Rather than insulting Naruto he pretty much kept quiet most of the time. But the blonde looked at it as an improvement.  
It might not be friendship, but Sasuke was friendlier. Somehow.  
Still, Naruto hadn't brought up the years passed since that night in Sasuke's car. With Sasuke being the way he was there had been no opportunities for him to bring it up. And they hadn't been alone either.

Now he ran out of the bakery, out on the sidewalk.

"Oi! Sasuke! Sasuke-teme!"  
The Uchiha looked at him. He didn't greet him in any way, but turned on his heel, and started crossing the street, hands in his pockets.  
"What do you want dobe?" he asked.  
"I just thought you might want to join us?"  
"Join you?" he gazed over Naruto's shoulder, in the window. He spotted Sakura, and his expression changed for a brief second.  
"I can't."  
"Why not?"  
"I have to be somewhere."  
"Where?"  
"None of your business."  
"Fine," Naruto shrugged, "When?"  
"About thirty minutes," Sasuke glanced at his wrist watch.  
It looked expensive.  
"Then you have time to join us."  
Sasuke sighed, but followed him inside the bakery.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura squealed. "Shikamaru move!"  
She pushed the brunette aside.  
Sasuke grabbed a chair from a free table however, and sat at the end of the table.  
"You have plans this week?" Sakura asked.  
"Not sure." Sasuke replied. He seemed fairly uninterested.  
"You have to do something with us again! It was so nice the last time!"  
He didn't respond.  
Clearly the girl thought of Sasuke as a part of the group. What he felt was unclear.

"Hey Shika," Naruto shoved his plate aside, "Did you start the math assignments yet?"  
"No. I've been focusing on the science."  
"Genius." the blonde muttered under his breath. "What about you Sakura?"  
"No." she shook her head, taking a sip of her milkshake.  
"Damn it. I totally suck at math." Naruto played with his spoon. "I looked it over, and I didn't understand one of the exercises!"  
He turned to Sasuke, a sly grin spreading on his face, "Ne..."  
"Forget it." Sasuke stood from the chair.  
"But you've done it?"  
"Started it."  
"So can I...?"  
"No."  
"Sasuke, please!"  
The Uchiha chose to ignore him.  
"Come on, we're friends, aren't we?"  
"Since when are we friends?"  
"That's a little harsh!" Sakura giggled.  
"You don't mean that!" Naruto grinned even wider, "Please?"

He was determined to make Sasuke think of him as a friend. If he didn't, Naruto wouldn't care. He'd still act that way, so he could get close enough to him to ask.

Sasuke tossed his bag over his shoulder and headed for the door.  
Seconds later the bell rang as he exited.

Naruto sighed. "He's so _impossible!_"  
"Who can blame him for not wanting you to copy his homework?"  
"You just let me copy yours!"  
"And neither of us should be proud of it." she pointed out.  
"It's not like Kakashi-sensei cares much about if we do it or not anyway! Right Shika?"  
Shikamaru's 'troublesome' was ignored.

* * *

The next day, Naruto met with Chouji at the mall.  
It was Chouji who'd called, wondering if Naruto could be bothered to come with him to get some stuff he needed for school.  
"You know you're supposed to have most of these things at the start of the semester, right?" Naruto said, looking over the list Chouji had given to him.  
"Yeah, well...I haven't had any use for it until now."  
"You haven't had any use for pencils?" Naruto was not convinced.  
"There's a perfectly good explanation for that. Akamaru ate my old ones."  
"You're blaming Kiba's dog?"  
"He did! It's scary! He eats everything! Why do you think I never bring food over there?"  
Naruto laughed. "I wonder how that dogshow is going!"  
"You can say that again!" Chouji agreed, "I don't expect Akamaru to behave for more than ten seconds in front of an audience."  
"Well, he's gotta start somewhere, right?"  
Chouji nodded.  
"What's next?"  
"Erasers?"  
"Akamaru ate those too?!"  
"Nah, they just keep disappearing. I have no idea where they go," the boy frowned.  
"I know what you mean," Naruto said, "The kids keep snagging mine...but I just steal new ones from Iruka-sensei."  
"Isn't it...troublesome to live with all those kids?"  
Naruto lifted an eyebrow. "Who are you? Shikamaru?" he laughed, but the other boy seemed serious.. "No...It's crowded and noisy, sure. But I'm so used to it. And they're all like younger siblings really..."  
"So you don't mind?"  
"Sure, it'd be nice to have some space once in a while. But it's more positive than negative, to put it that way."  
Chouji nodded.  
"Besides, I share a room with Gaara, and they rarely come up there. They respect him."  
"I can understand why."  
Naruto gently nudged his friend. "He's not that bad! He's just...reserved." he smiled.  
He kinda felt bad for spending so much time with everyone else, and leaving Gaara at home. But what was he supposed to do? Force Gaara to come along?  
That would never work.  
And the red hadn't said anything.  
He usually expressed it if something bothered him.  
Naruto nodded to himself. Gaara was fine. There was no need for him to worry.  
Especially since he had enough on his mind already. 

After making sure they had everything on the list, they treated themselves to ice cream and some fries.  
They sat at the food court, watching the people who stressed about around them.  
It was almost like watching an anthill. Everyone was busy with their own stuff, rushing about, trying to get as much done in as little time as possible.  
Saturdays were terrible.

Naruto took a French-fry from the plate, gazing out at the crowd.  
He spotted a pink head among the strangers.  
"Oi!" he stood up, waving, "Sakura-chan!"  
She turned her head, looking around. Finally she spotted them.  
"Naruto! Chouji!" her face broke into a smile as she made her way over to them.  
Naruto slid further against the wall, making space for her on the bench.  
"Thanks," she said, reaching for Naruto's soda with a questioning look.  
"Go ahead," he smiled.  
"What are you guys going here?"  
Chouji nodded towards the bag with the book-shop logo on it, "School stuff."  
"Oh," she nodded.  
"What about you Sakura-chan? Out shopping with Ino again?"  
She shook her head, "No, I had to get my grandma a gift. It's her birthday in a couple of days."  
"Found anything yet?"  
"No. It's really hard to find something for her. She's got weird tastes..." the girl shook her head. "Ino was supposed to help me, but she had to watch the shop."  
"We'll help you!"  
"You?" she looked from one boy to the other. "What do you guys know about buying presents for old ladies?"  
"Not much..." Naruto admitted. "But three brains are better than one. Right?"  
She laughed, "Fine. I'll let you tag along. It's better than wandering around by myself anyways."

* * *

An hour and a half later, they were finally on their way back.  
Sakura had ended up getting a crystal vase, after Naruto suggested she could get a bouquet of flowers at the Yamanaka's store.  
She'd also found a porcelain figure that would be absolutely perfect on her grandmother's mantlepiece.  
They'd found it in a store that Chouji's mom shopped at alot.

Sakura was thrilled, "I guess you're of some use after all!"  
Naruto grinned. He looked down the road.  
Outside the pharmacy he spotted a familiar black car.

"Hey, wait," he stopped the two others.  
"What is it Naruto?"  
"I thought you said you were in a hurry?"  
"That's Sasuke's car."  
"Sasuke's...?"  
"Yeah. Come on! We'll make him drive us!"  
Naruto dragged Sakura towards the parking lot, and Chouji jogged after them.  
"Naruto! Wait!" Sakura struggled to get her hand loose.  
But Naruto walked just as determined towards the car.

He was going to follow up what he'd been doing all week: If waiting for Sasuke to talk didn't work, and talking to him didn't work as long as they weren't on a more friendly level with each other, the only thing he could do was spend enough time with him to make that happen.  
Operation 'bond with Sasuke' was initiated.

Naruto was fully aware of how lame that sounded. Even in his own head. But he didn't care. Something had to be done, before he went crazy.

When Sasuke came out of the pharmacy, he stirred, staring at his classmates.  
"Naruto? What are you doing?"  
The blonde leaned against his car. "Waiting for you."  
"Why?" Sasuke's eyebrow twitched.  
Naruto choked a snicker. _"Hey look everyone, it has emotion!"  
_"We thought you could give us a ride home, Sasuke-kun."  
Sasuke glared at Naruto, "Oh really? _You_ did?"  
"Unless it's too much trouble...?" Sakura asked softly.  
But Naruto knew she was just dying to get in Sasuke's car.  
"I'm not even heading in that direction, dobe."  
"Then where are you going?"  
"The library."  
"To study?" Sakura suggested.  
"Biology," Sasuke replied.  
"Great! We're coming with you."  
"No, you are _not."  
_"Why not?" Naruto probed.

Sasuke looked more than annoyed.  
"I need to focus. I can't do that with you and your loud mouth around."  
"Sure you can! And you can help me out!"  
Sakura's face lit up, "Yeah! You're good at biology, right?"  
"I prefer to go by myself."  
"You can't stop us from coming. It's a public library," Naruto insisted.

Sasuke wanted to say "But I can stop you from getting in my car." but he didn't.  
Instead he sighed with resignation.

"Fine. You have your books?"  
"All I need is a sheet of paper. I can look in yours. Right?"  
Sasuke rolled his eyes.  
"I have mine!" Sakura patted her bag. She had intended to go to Ino's place to study afterwards, but if she got to go with Sasuke...Ino could wait. She giggled.  
The blonde would be so jealous!

As she turned though, her blood was boiling. She leaned down to the window.  
"Naruto!" she hissed. "Why are you in the front seat?!"  
"Force of habit." he grinned.  
"Just because he drove you once..."  
"Sakura, just get in the car," Chouji opened the door.  
She sighed, plopping down next to him.

* * *

"Just so you know, you're not copying me." Sasuke said once they were seated in the library. His book was placed between him and Naruto.  
"Okay, I get it."  
Sasuke 'hn'ed, and stared down at his book.  
"Sasuke?"  
He glared at the blonde.  
"It's alright to ask for help, right?"  
"Yes," Sasuke said through gritted teeth, "That's fine."  
Sasuke picked up his pen, and begun writing down the answer to one of the questions.  
"Then..."  
He broke the pencil in half as he turned to scowl at Naruto again.  
"What?"  
"What the heck is H2O?"  
"It's WATER Naruto!" Chouji and Sakura burst into a fit of laughter.

_"Is this idiot serious?!" _Sasuke frowned.

Of course Naruto knew what it was. Or, at least he thought he knew what it was... He always got it mixed up with CO2. But anyway, all he was really trying to do was to get some sort of human reaction from Sasuke. Like a laugh. Or even a smile.  
Just something to prove that he was indeed human, or at least that he was accepting their friendship. The way things looked right now however, it was more likely that Sasuke had absolutely no humor at all.

He looked at him, sighing, "Look here... This is grade school material! Question a: 'What is the Photosynthesis? Explain.' You should be able to do that!"  
"Isn't it something about a bunch of numbers?"  
"Yes..." Sasuke sighed.  
Naruto chewed on his pencil. "You mind if I look for it in the book?"  
"Suit yourself," the raven grunted, pushing the book over to him.  
He looked over at Sakura. "What? You want help to?"  
Her face flushed, she looked away. "Oh no...I...I was just..."  
"Staring shamelessly at him." Naruto mumbled without looking up.  
"Shut up moron."  
The blonde frowned. Sasuke was obviously not thrilled about having him there, and he was not trying to hide it.

_"But you're not fooling me Sasuke, I know you're in there." _

Sometimes he wondered where those thoughts came from.  
He wondered what he was doing.  
Sasuke wasn't about to turn 180 and become his best friend, that much was obvious.  
And Naruto knew that he probably was going about it in all the wrong ways.  
And...why was he analyzing it?

He sighed, letting the pencil fall.  
All this thinking was giving him a headache. All he really wanted to do was to talk to Sasuke. But it was so hard to get the contact he wanted.  
And now all the thoughts about the Sasuke issue were floating around in his head like a big, chaotic rain cloud.

He sighed a second time.

"You're stuck again?" Sakura leaned over the table.  
"Huh?!" he stirred from his thoughts.  
"Oh...just spacing out," she shook her head, "Honestly, how are you ever going to learn anything?!" playfully she flicked Naruto on the forehead.  
Sasuke watched them in the corner of his eye.  
"I don't see you doing anything either," Naruto pursed his lips.  
"What?" Sakura smiled sheepishly, "Uh...that's because I'm...stuck! Sasuke-kun? Can you show me this part?"  
He nodded and stood, coming over to the other side of the table, sitting next to her.  
As he showed her how to deal with the math problem, she pressed as close to him as possible. All the time with a blush in her cheeks and a smile on her lips.

Sasuke was generous enough to drive them home an hour later.

Sakura and Chouji both lived closer to the library than Naruto, not to mention the fact that he lived in the opposite direction, so Sasuke drove them home first.

As Naruto had thought, Sasuke became a different person when they were alone.  
It was subtle, but it was there.  
Naruto noticed the other seeming to be more relaxed.

His thoughts hadn't been full of wild ideas after all. He'd been right about him. He was pretty sure of it. Sasuke was changing. He was friendlier.

_"But only in exclusive company..."_

"What are you smiling about?" Sasuke suddenly looked at him.  
Straight at him.  
His dark eyes digging into Naruto's blue ones.  
"You're such a phony."  
"Excuse me?" Sasuke furrowed his brow.  
"You act so hostile all the time. But you're not that bad, you know that right?"  
Sasuke cocked an eyebrow. "Moron."  
Naruto smiled. "You see? You talk tough, but you won't do anything."  
"Are you _asking_ me to punch you?" Sasuke asked, but there was a slightly humorous tone in his voice.  
It warmed.  
It actually warmed Naruto.  
"No. But I'm asking you to keep your eyes on the road. You almost killed us once you know!"  
Sasuke snorted, "I was in control."  
"Yeah right," Naruto snorted back.  
"You wanna walk dobe?"  
Naruto stuck his tongue out and grinned, suddenly feeling ten pounds lighter.  
As if everything had changed completely within minutes.  
In a way, it had.

* * *

Still, Sasuke never sought out Naruto's company.  
If they met somewhere he'd allow himself to come along with Naruto and the others, or he'd offer to drive him somewhere.  
Like now, on this Monday afternoon.

The whole group had gone to the park. The girls wanted to sit in the sun and enjoy the weather, while the guys were playing with a Frisbee. Or at least trying to... Akamaru kept snatching it and running away.

Naruto was sent to the store to get some ice cream and lunch.  
He noticed Sasuke's car the minute he came onto the parking lot.

"What's up Sasuke-teme?" he asked as he passed Sasuke, heading for the cold drinks.  
Sasuke looked at him, following him with his eyes.  
"Are you stalking me Uzumaki?" he asked, walking up to him.  
"Full of yourself today, are you?"  
"Tch," Sasuke took a coke from the shelf.  
"So what are you doing here?"  
"What? I'm not allowed to shop?"  
"To me it looked like you were just dawdling." Naruto pointed out. "If you're bored you can join us you know. We're at the park."  
"Why would I want to do that?"  
"Because we're your friends, and you like to hang out with us." the blonde brushed past him, walking down the aisle. "You just don't like to admit it. Isn't that right, Mr. emotionless?"

There was a sound coming from Sasuke's throat.  
Naruto stirred. Was that laughter?  
No.  
It wasn't.  
If it was...it was spiteful.

"When did I say that I was-"  
"Sasuke!" Naruto stared at him. "You don't have anything better to do, right?"  
"You don't think I do?" Sasuke's stare was defiant.  
"No. I don't. Every time I see you you're alone, you never do anything. You just go about your business and shut yourself away from the rest of the world! It's not good for you to be antisocial like this!"

_"He almost sounds like Anko and Kakashi."_ Sasuke told himself.

"Are you listening?! Sasuke-teme!" Naruto wanted to shout at him. He wanted to say that they'd both been through hell, but that Sasuke's way of dealing was beyond wrong. He wanted to tell him that he knew that the Sasuke who'd smiled was in there. He wanted to scream at him and make him wake up and realize that acting like the world didn't concern you, or like everyone else were inferior were bad ways of dealing with what he'd been trough.

But he held back.  
At least almost.

"Sasuke do-"  
"Fine," the raven gave.  
"What?" Naruto broke himself off. Again the question failed to leave his lips.  
"I'll go. If it makes you shut up."  
The blonde's face broke into a grin again. "You don't have to pretend. I know you want to."  
Sasuke didn't reply, but pushed Naruto gently.  
The blonde quickly regained his balance, but stopped nonetheless.

Walking a few steps behind the Uchiha, Naruto touched himself to the shoulder where Sasuke had pushed him.  
He smiled.

"Alright. I'll keep your secret." he continued, catching up to the raven again. "No need to get violent."  
Sasuke turned his head and looked at him, picking up an apple as they passed the fruits. He threw it at the blonde, who gave him a friendly push.

* * *

"Look who I found!" Naruto announced as he and Sasuke came back to the park.  
"Sasuke-kun!"  
"Sasuke! Hi!"  
Of course, Ino and Sakura were thrilled.

Sasuke wanted to run.  
But he stayed, and plopped down on the grass next to the girls and Naruto.  
The minute he sat down, Akamaru came galloping, settling down on his lap.  
He looked down at the white ball of fur.

"He likes you," Sakura smiled.  
Kiba stared at the dog. "Well what do you know?" he rolled his eyes, "Why didn't he act like that at the show?"  
"It didn't go well?" Hinata asked.  
"No. He was too curious about everything to sit still. He was pretty much disqualified."  
"I guess he's not old enough for that stuff yet."  
Naruto laughed, "Or maybe he's just too much like his owner! You can be pretty hyperactive too you know."  
"Really?" Sasuke found himself asking.  
"Yeah! When he's not at school, he's totally hyper!"  
Shino gave a barely noticeable nod. He'd spent years with him after all, so he should know.  
"Hn," Sasuke said. But it wasn't one of spite or ridicule. It was the kinda 'hn' a person makes when he learns something new about someone and doesn't quite know what to say in response.  
He looked down at the puppy in his lap, gently petting it, a bit hesitant, like it was his first time petting a dog.

Ino picked up the Frisbee.  
Akamaru reacted straight away. The fur on his back rising slightly, while his tail wagged frantically. His eyes shone, radiating the want to play.  
Ino threw the blue disc, and the puppy chased after it.  
Kiba sprung to his feet, "Go get it boy! Go get it!"  
Naruto followed too, running after Akamaru, making him give up the Frisbee once he caught it.  
He ran across the grass, Akamaru following in excited leaps, barking excitedly.

"Sasuke! Catch!" Naruto threw the Frisbee.  
It almost hit the raven.  
He scowled, took the disc and stood.  
"Hey dobe!" he flung the disc at the blonde.  
Naruto barely caught it.

Soon after Kiba had also joined the game. Though he played normally, as opposed to Sasuke and Naruto who seemed to want to deliberately hit each other with the toy.  
Akamaru was chasing around them, barking with disappointment that he wasn't allowed to play.

An hour later, the three boys and the dog collapsed on the grass next to the girls, Shikamaru and Chouji. They were breathing heavily, and Naruto had a bruised forehead, where Sasuke had managed to hit him with the Frisbee.

Sasuke rolled over at his side, "How's your head dobe?" he asked, swallowing hard, breathing slightly ragged.  
"It doesn't hurt at all. You throw like a girl, bastard." Naruto smirked, panting slightly.  
"So do you," Sasuke retorted.  
Naruto flung out his arm, hitting Sasuke in the chest. But not hard.

"Could you be any more childish?" Ino rolled her eyes.  
Naruto snagged one of the soda bottles, "It's alright to have some fun once in a while, Ino. There's nothing wrong with being a child at heart."  
"Still, you act like a couple of brats."  
"What do you expect from someone who lives with other brats?" Kiba reminded her.  
Naruto just grinned.  
"Yeah...well...you got Sasuke in on it!" she smiled sweetly at the Uchiha, "You know, you don't have to amuse these morons?"  
Sasuke shook his head. "I have to give the moron at least one chance to repay me for that bump on his forehead."  
Naruto scowled at him, "I don't need you to give me a chance! If I wanted to, I'd knock you out cold with that Frisbee!"  
Sasuke snorted, "Yeah?"  
"Yeah!" Naruto sprung to his feet, glaring defiantly at him.  
"Prove it." Black, challenging orbs stared at him.  
"Kiba," Naruto ordered. "Throw the frisbee!"  
"You're gonna go again?!" Sakura frowned.  
"I'm gonna wipe that smug smirk off that bastard's face!" Naruto was feeling really competitive. "Throw it!" he ordered again.  
Kiba sighed, but did as told.

Akamaru chased after it right away, so did Sasuke and Naruto.

It was the Uchiha who caught it first, throwing it hard towards the blonde, who tossed it right back at him, just as hard.  
The flying disc went back and forth between them, faster than a canon ball.  
Naruto winced, dodged and even rolled to escape the Frisbee, as if it was a lethal weapon. And the way Sasuke threw, it might as well could have been.  
There! He caught it in mid air, and flung it back at the raven.  
The Uchiha stepped aside, dodging it gracefully.

But the next time he wasn't as lucky.  
Sasuke reacted just a split second too late, and the disc hit him right beneath his left eye.  
_"Fuck!" _he touched his hand to his cheek, but still managed to grab the Frisbee and throw it back at the loudmouthed blonde.

As their game intensified, it was suddenly interrupted by the change of the weather.  
Sasuke and Naruto had been too wrapped up in their little game, that they, unlike the others hadn't seen the sneaking black clouds.  
Soon it was pouring.

They packed up in a hurry, and headed out into the street, towards the arcade.

"We'll pop in and see if the rain stops. If not, it's a good way to spend time."  
"You mean _waste_ it!" Ino snarled. "Jeez, this is the worst Golden Week ever!"  
Sasuke turned to walk in the opposite direction, "See you."  
Naruto held him back though, tugging on his sleeve, "Come on. Just leave your car at the store. They don't mind. Come with us!"  
Sasuke sighed, reluctantly letting the blonde drag him along.  
"If I get a ticket, you're paying for it." he muttered.

Stepping into the Arcade was like arriving in a different dimension, with it's blinking lights and noise. Although Konoha wasn't a very big city, the Arcade was just like the ones in the bigger cities: a two-story building with a wide selection of games, from old classics to the newest hypes, like DDR and GuitarHero.

To Sasuke, it was like being blinded. He squinted at the pink neon lights that beamed from one of the machines.  
Being his own anti-social self, it pretty much said for itself that this wasn't the kind of place he'd usually go to.  
It was more like a place he'd avoid at all cost.  
Naruto's eyes widened, "You've never been to an arcade before?!"  
"What are you?!" Kiba echoed, "A cave man?"  
Sasuke just stared blankly at them.  
"It's like you don't know how to have fun!"  
"This is supposed to be fun?" Sasuke scowled at one of the obnoxious machines.  
"Yeah! You don't think you're too good for it, do you?" Naruto nudged him, trying to awaken that will to win in Sasuke again.  
"Hn," Sasuke looked away.  
"I'm challenging you," the blonde continued, "Does anyone have any coins?!"  
Kiba handed him the money he needed, and Naruto dragged Sasuke onto one of the platforms.  
"Ok, just do what the machine tells you to; up, down, left, right, get it?" he grinned. "But you'll never beat me."  
"We'll see, dobe," Sasuke stared back at him, knowing full well that he should keep his mouth shut, he'd never cared for dancing, much less played Dance Dance Revolution.

The song started up.  
Already from the start, it held a very high tempo.  
Naruto seemed to know all the steps by heart, and spent more time staring at the Uchiha than at the screen.  
That made Sasuke's iron will set even harder on winning.  
He stepped fiercely on the platform, his bangs sticking to his forehead. _"Left, Up, blue, red, down, red-no! Blue! Aaargh!"_

Naruto smirked, looking over at the other. Sweat gleamed on Naruto's forehead, but he grinned, because there was just no way Sasuke would beat him at this.  
He'd danced to 'Love Love Shine' a billion times.  
And, he was smirking because he knew that beneath that annoyed glare and those gritted teeth, Sasuke was enjoying himself. 

The song ended just as abruptly as it had started.  
Not surprisingly, Naruto won, but only by a few hundred points, which _was _a surprise.  
Sasuke turned his head, smirking back at the blonde. Although he'd preferred winning, he had nothing to be ashamed of. The way he saw it, they were equals.  
The blonde however seemed to look at it differently. He still had that moronic grin on his face as he exclaimed; "Yeah! Told you so, didn't I, Uchiha?!" he looked down at the others, "Who's next? Who dares to challenge me?"  
Sasuke rolled his eyes, stepping off the platform.

Sakura took his place, "I get to choose the song," she ordered.  
"Fine. You can't beat me though."  
"We'll see," she smiled. "Kiba!"  
The boy sighed, feeding the machine more coins.

She lost.

Naruto screamed something about being the 'ruling champion'.

Ino tried her skills.  
And lost.

Kiba tried.  
As he got up on the platform, he shrilled. "Would someone please tell me why I am still the only one paying?!"  
"It's your turn now, so it's only fair."  
"Yeah? Well-" the brunette shrilled.  
"Hey," Sasuke interrupted him, "The song's starting." he smirked slightly.  
Kiba growled, but didn't say anything more.  
After having lost, he dragged Shino over to the 'House of the Dead' machine, where they spent the next half hour.

Naruto was grinning widely when he stepped down from the platform.  
He was undefeated.  
And dead tired. But he tried not to let it show.  
"Now what?" he asked, leaning against the wall.  
Shikamaru got out his phone. "I have to get home. We're leaving in two hours."  
"Oh right...Kyoto..."  
He nodded, "I still need to pack."  
"You haven't packed yet?!"  
"It's too..."  
"Troublesome." the group laughed in unison.  
"Yeah."  
"You can't leave just yet!" Ino grabbed his arm, "Since we're all here, how about we take a picture?!"  
"Purikura?"  
"The machine is broken." Shino said, pointing at the sign.  
Ino frowned.  
"Well, then we'll just have to make do with the old photo booth down the street!" Naruto said, rushing outside with the others following closely behind.

"We'll never fit in there. Not all of us."  
"Don't be so negative!" Sakura scowled at Shikamaru.  
Chouji did the same.  
"Don't worry, we only need to squeeze together for like...ten seconds. You'll survive!" Naruto slipped into the photobooth. It wasn't too small. "Sasuke, come here. Chouji too. Shikamaru and Kiba can sit, and the girls'll sit on your laps."  
"And Shino?"  
"Shino..." the blonde thought for a moment, "Ok, change places with Shika, he's thin enough to be on the side without being out of the pic...I think..."

He hadn't been far off.  
Once everyone was in their places, they were all in the picture. Pretty much at least.  
Sasuke scowled at Naruto. He was squished in between the blonde and the wall, trying to figure out how he'd been dragged into this.  
Naruto didn't seem to care. He just grinned.  
His hand reached out, a finger pressing lightly against Sasuke's pale cheek, "It won't kill you to smile you know!"  
Sasuke muttered something, but couldn't stop his lips from curving slightly upwards.

In the next second the flash blinded them all.

* * *

"Oh my gooood!"  
The teenage girls were screaming with laughter as the machine spewed out the sheet of pictures.  
"Sasuke-kun! You're smiling!"  
"Yeah, but he still looks like he's about to bite Naruto's head off!"  
"Oh no! My eyes are closed!"  
"And your forehead looks huge!"  
"What else is new?" Kiba poked Sakura.  
She stuck her tongue out, lightly punching Kiba's arm. Then everything was interrupted by another scream of laughter, as they noticed Shino was barely in the picture; his sunglasses reflected the flash, so he was pretty much covered by the bright light.

"This picture is terrible," Sakura finally concluded, "We should take a new one."  
"No can do," Shikamaru replied, "I've got to go. We're leaving remember?"  
"Oh...Right..."  
"Don't worry about it, I think it's awesome!" Naruto said, grabbing the scissors that were chained to the photo booth, cutting out one picture for all of them.  
"You would, wouldn't you dobe?" Sasuke smirked.  
Naruto scowled, "Would what, bastard?"  
"Never mind," Sasuke looked lazily down at the picture in his hand. Something stung in him.

"See ya," Shikamaru interrupted any reply that Naruto might've been about to give.  
The brunette waved lazily back as he turned to walk, the others wishing him a nice trip.

They watched Shikamaru walk down the street.

"Now what?" Kiba asked.  
"I should go too..." Naruto chewed his lip. "It's dinner time."  
"We could go somewhere to eat?"  
The blonde shook his head, "I have chores and stuff. Besides, I feel kinda guilty for leaving Gaara alone with the kids again."  
"What is he? Your wife?"  
For a second the Uchiha sounded almost jealous. But that was ridiculous. Or was it?  
Gaara was to Naruto what Sasuke had used to be.  
He pushed away the thought. Right now he didn't want to worry about that stuff. It always gave him a headache.

Naruto glared at Sasuke. "Are you trying to be funny Uchiha?"  
Sasuke glared back.  
"Well, you're failing."  
"Hn," Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest, "I'm leaving."  
"What? Because of this?" Naruto demanded, "In any case, could you give me a ride?"  
"No. I'm going the other way."  
The answer was cold. But that was Sasuke's way of acting. Yet, Naruto was slightly surprised. He'd gotten used to Sasuke driving him home whenever they met somewhere.

"Oh...Ok. See you guys later then." Naruto pulled himself together.

They parted ways.

* * *

Sasuke was shaky when he got in the car.  
He rested his arms on the steering wheel, placing his head in his hands, then he exhaled slowly and blinked a couple of times.  
Why was it that he reacted in this way?  
He looked down at the small photo in his hand. Because they had made him smile? Was that it?  
Or because of all those memories he'd wanted to forget, but couldn't?  
It didn't matter what it was that made him shake like this, what mattered was that he got himself out of this state before getting to Anko's office. She'd notice immediately, and then there'd be no end to the questions.  
He turned the key. He met his own gaze in the rear-view mirror, it was one of self-hatred.  
He hated himself for being so cold. He hated himself not being able to calm down.  
He hated himself for having done the stupid things that had made him have to have these stupid sessions with Anko in the first place.  
And he absolutely hated himself for being so indecisive in his interactions with Naruto.

In the same way that he despised the way most students at Konoha High treated him. And in the same way that he couldn't stand those who acted friendly towards him. In just that way he hated himself for the way he was acting; in the blink of an eye his attitude towards him turned from bad to worse.

And he hated the blonde, for reasons he couldn't comprehend, much less wanted to. And still...when he looked down at the picture in his hand, he started to doubt this hate...  
Just like years ago, when the world was painted pitch black; and that smile had been like the sun itself.

He took a few more moments to collect himself, before starting the car, heading for the other side of town, where Anko's office lay.

* * *

"Welcome back." Gaara rose to a sitting position, putting away the book he'd been reading. Around him a few of the kids were doing their homework. And some of the younger were climbing around in the couch, and on him.  
"Sorry I'm so late!" Naruto kicked off his wet sneakers.  
Gaara shrugged, "Don't worry about it. They're not that bad, and it's not like I'm alone with them..."

"Naruto? Is that you?" a young woman with shoulder-long brown hair came out of the kitchen.  
"Yeah. Hi Yumiko." he greeted her.  
"Do you think you could chop some ve-" she interrupted herself. "You're dripping wet!"  
"Yeah...We got caught in the rain."  
"Go up and change then. We wouldn't want you to get sick."

* * *

"So where were you?"  
They were at the kitchen counter, chopping up vegetables. Tonight's menu was nabe; so they'd need lots of them. Konohamaru was clinging to Naruto as usual. "Don't pull on my sleeve," Naruto warned him, "I'm holding a knife. It's dangerous!"  
He shook Konohamaru off, sending him back into the living room and turned to Gaara.  
"The park, and the arcade."  
"With Sasuke again?"  
A bit perplexed, Naruto looked at his friend, "He was there... but that was just 'cos I ran into him randomly at the grocery store... Why?"  
Gaara took a new carrot, and started peeling it. "Just asking," he said, "For someone known to be so anti-social he sure doesn't live up to his rumor."  
Naruto laughed slightly. "You don't know Sasuke."  
"I guess not."  
"It's like...he's in his own private world, even when he's with the rest of us," Naruto tried to explain, but it seemed Gaara had stopped listening.

* * *

"Naruto-nii!"  
Naruto's eyes flew open, "Wh-what?! I'm up!"  
Konohamaru's mischievous smile shone towards him, "We're going!"  
"Now?! But..." he touched his hand to his forehead, "I must've fallen asleep..."  
"You've been sleeping for an hour!" Gaara said, dragging one of the younger children over to the couch. He sat down, helping her to put her shoes on, "Ok, who's next?"  
A boy climbed up on his lap.  
"I'm tired, ok?" Naruto grinned sheepishly, "After all, _I _had to go with these brats to the matinee this morning."  
"I had to bake a cake." Gaara's piercing eyes dug into his, "A _cake, _Naruto. It was a nightmare."  
"Pfft, just another impressive skill to add to your repertoire," the blonde pointed out.

Because Gaara was the way he was, and rarely went anywhere, he often helped with the cooking, even when it wasn't his turn, and as a result he was turning out to be a very promising chef.

"Naruto-nii! The fireworks! We're gonna miss it! Come on!" Moegi pulled on the blonde's hand.  
"Yeah! Let's go! We can't miss it! It's the biggest day of the year! Just as big as Christmas, and New years eve...and my birthday! And Moegi's birthday, and Udon's birthday, and your birthday and Gaara's..."  
"We get it." Gaara interrupted, "Go and put your shoes on!"  
He was smiling.  
Naruto smiled too. Lately Gaara had seemed a little gloomy, so it was relieving to see him back to normal again.

The president of the orphanage, Yumiko and the other girls who worked there, and Shizune as well joined them in the living room. "Is everyone ready?"  
Excited cheers filled the room.  
The old lady smiled at the children, "Good! Let's get going then."  
She walked behind them, along with Shizune, talking quietly, whilst the children rushed down the street. Naruto and Gaara walked in the middle of the crowd, helping to keep them on the right path, literally.

"Naruto!" Shizune called from behind them. "Did you talk to Iruka?"  
"Yeah! He's meeting us by the bridge!"

Every year on Children's Day, Iruka joined them to watch the fireworks, and then for dinner afterwards. Chiyo used to say he was part of the family.

"Hey," Gaara elbowed Naruto in the ribs. "Think he'll be bringing Kakashi?"  
Naruto burst out laughing.

They met with Iruka at the bridge, but the silver haired teacher was nowhere to be seen.  
They did however run into him later that night at random, although both Naruto and Gaara had a hunch it was all but coincidental.

Naruto saw several of his classmates, and a few of his friends among the crowd, but he only waved at them. Children's day was all about the children, so he didn't feel like running out on them. He hoisted one of the younger ones up to his shoulders.  
The child screamed with laughter, and pointed enthusiastically at the fireworks exploding above them.  
Grinning, the blonde turned to Gaara; "Deidara-sensei is probably _loving_ this."  
Despite not knowing Deidara's almost insane love for explosions very well, Gaara looked back at him lip quirking into a smile.  
"Naruto-nii! Lift me next!"  
"Met too!"  
The blonde laughed harder. "Yes yes, wait your turn!"

* * *

Sasuke slid open the door to the balcony.  
From here he could see most of Konoha. He had a clear view of the fireworks.  
Sparkling, brightly colored buds and stars shot up from the park; blossoming on the midnight sky like giant flowers.  
Sasuke's eyes followed as a bright red lighting flashed over the sky; exploded with a loud 'bang' and rained down towards the ground like snow-flakes.

His phone vibrated in his pocket.

As usual the sound was turned off. Sasuke hated obnoxious cell phones that went off everywhere at every possible time. He'd opposed to getting a cell, but Kakashi had insisted on him getting one; probably out of paranoia, and now he was stuck with this annoying device.  
He ignored it, but it took a good couple of minutes before the buzzing stopped.

He went back inside, sliding the balcony door shut.

He'd always hated festivities of this sort. It wasn't just to be anti-social he didn't go.  
Kakashi had tried to persuade him into going, saying that all of his 'friends' would be there.  
Sakura and Ino had both somehow dug up his number, and had each sent him about five messages, begging him to come with them.

"That's probably one of them now..." he said to himself as the annoying thing in his pocket began buzzing again.  
He fell down on the bed, taking out his phone. He glared at the display.  
'Naruto'.  
_"You too?" _he thought to himself, slightly annoyed.

He still didn't answer. Instead he threw the phone to the floor. It clattered against the floor boards.

Turning over on his side, his eyes fell upon a picture, it was laying glass-down on the dusty nightstand.  
For a moment, Sasuke was tempted to lift it, to turn it the right way and look at it, like he had done so many times before.  
But he decided against it. He knew what it showed anyway; two raven haired boys, aged six and twelve, both with serious, but carefree looks on their faces.  
The only thing in this room that was somehow showing any sense of humanity, allowing a visitor to get just a teensy glimpse of the person who had lived here. Other than that the room was just as personal as you'd find a hospital room to be; obsessively clean; everything placed neatly where it should be, no posters or pictures on the walls, no flowers or anything else.

Even his room had a more personal feel than this.. But then again, he had still only been a child when...  
He killed the thought as it was still budding. Didn't want to think any further.

"Are you watching the fireworks?" he asked into the thin air. His voice sounded way too loudly in the empty room. He let it fall to a lower tone, almost whispering. "Are you even alive?"

Outside the fireworks still sounded clearly in the otherwise quiet night, brightly colored flowers continuing to enlighten the sky for hours to come.  
Meanwhile, Sasuke grew weary, tiredness catching up to him. Soon he was sleeping, slightly uneasy on a bed that hadn't been touched for years, in the room he'd been almost afraid to step into since he came back.

* * *

Two days later, Sasuke ran into Naruto in the street.  
It felt like it was the gazillionth time something like this happened lately.  
"_Are_ you stalking me, dobe?" he asked, brushing past Naruto, continuing down the street.  
"What's wrong with you?!" Naruto ran after him.  
"What?"  
"What? Let's see...first of all you've started acting like a bastard again!" the blonde shrilled. "And why the hell wouldn't you pick up your phone on Children's Day?!"  
"I didn't feel like it, if you must know," Sasuke replied coolly.  
"Why do you have to be so anti-social?! I just wanted to invite you to come see the fireworks!"  
"You, and everyone else."  
Naruto rolled his eyes, "Well excuuuuse me for trying to be including!"  
"You don't have to. Children's day is for kids anyway."  
"Sasuke-teme!!" the blonde wanted to punch him for acting so full of himself, "I thought you had fun with all of us the other day?!"  
"Maybe I didn't."  
"You did!"  
Sasuke shrugged.  
"Well fine. If you wanna be like that. But," Naruto pointed his finger at Sasuke in such an abrupt movement he could've poked his eye out, "You will be coming with us to the Hanami next Saturday."  
"Hanami?"  
"Don't play dumb with me, we all know you're a genius." he scowled at the raven. "The sakura viewing! You know, a festival for those little pink flowers that grow on trees!"  
"Haha, funny." Sasuke said flatly, "Why should I go?"  
"'Cos we all want you to. And cos you owe to us for being anti-social."

_"And because we need to get to know each other again."_

"What if I don't want to?"  
"I'll come pick you up if I have to."  
"Is that a threat, usuratonkatchi?"  
"Just be there."  
Sasuke sighed, "Fine, whatever."  
Naruto smiled, obviously pleased with himself. "Good!"  
He kept walking alongside the Uchiha.  
Sasuke scowled at him. "What are you doing?"  
"Keeping you company."  
"Why?"  
"Everything doesn't have to have a reason."  
Sasuke didn't reply. He didn't know what to think of Naruto's behavior lately.

"So where are we going anyway Sasuke-teme?"  
"Pharmacy."  
"Oh...Why aren't you driving?"  
Sasuke stopped, turned to him and glared. "Why do you care?"  
Naruto shrugged, "Just trying to make conversation..."  
"Well don't. I'll come with you to your stupid flower-thing, ok? Now, go away."  
Naruto punched him softly in the shoulder. "Fine. I'll leave you alone. God, you're moody!"  
Sasuke pretended to brush a speck of dust off his shoulder, looking straight into Naruto's eyes as he did.  
"Alrigth, jeez. I'll see you Monday then. At school."  
"I guess."

That was the end of that conversation.

Things went along in pretty much that same track for most of the following week; Sasuke being not friendly, nor hostile, and Naruto and the others constantly trying to make him lighten up.

Although not thrilled about it, Sasuke ended up coming to the festival with them after all.  
And that's where he said it.

There, under the blossoming cherry trees, he told Naruto...

* * *

[Lawl, evil cliffhanger. Sorry guys! I'll see you next week! Comments are love! 


	8. Rokugatsu

**Author's note: **

Delayed again. Omg, I'm so sorry. But this chapter is TWICE as long as the others, so I hope that helps a little...

Sorry for the evil cliffhanger you guys!

When I wrote this, it wasmy personal fave among all the chapters so far, and I think it clears up a lot of things. So hopefully you'll all enjoy it and forgive me my slowness...

About the clay; my ceramics teacher just called the newbie-clay Blue clay. So I'm not quite sure what the English name is. After checking a bit online though, I'm starting to believe that Quickclay is the correct term, so I'm gonna use that.  
If anyone knows better than me, please let me know!

The math teacher thing, is a slight pun on my behalf since I suddenly realized that I hadn't thought out who was gonna be their math teacher yet.  
Gawd, the whole school thing is killing me; I spent almost three hours making Naruto's schedule last week, and then I had to assign teachers to all of the classes, except math obviously... x.x  
I kinda wanted to throw Hidan in the mix, as the teacher for religious studies...xD But I decided against it, and chose Kurenai instead.  
For maths...I kinda wanted Kabuto, since he looks so smart. But then I figured there were too many young teachers, so I went for the closet perv.

As far as chaos and no teachers goes, I've pretty much drawn a lot of inspiration from my school; half the time our teachers didn't show, and during springtime before the exams, we basically just sat around all day.

Oh, and SneakyFox said in her review that I need to make you guys draw me fanarts ;p  
I'd LOVE for someone to illustrate their fave scene or whatever from YotF.  
If you do draw something, please link me in a review! ♥

Sorry about this ridiculously long AN.

* * *

**Rokugatsu**

There, under the rows of blossoming cherry trees, Sasuke said it; "I'm **not** your fucking friend Naruto!"  
And then he left.

In a matter of seconds, everything that had happened since Sasuke was first standing in front of the class that day in January, flashed before Naruto's inner eye.  
And he just couldn't believe that the Uchiha had just shouted those words in his face, not after these past weeks.  
Not since they had steadily gotten friendlier... especially after last week.

Monday morning, Naruto slammed his books down on his desk.  
Mizuki glowered at him, "Bad mood this morning Uzumaki?"  
Naruto scowled back, but straightened his back, and opened his book.  
"Watch that attitude, or I'm throwing you out," the man warned, but was distracted by the door opening again. "Uchiha!" he sneered, "You are late!"  
Sasuke mumbled something and took his seat.  
He hadn't even been five minutes late. Clearly the teacher was also having a bad morning.  
"Alright, settle down morons," Mizuki pulled down the map in front of the blackboard. "War-"  
"What is it good for!" a few students echoed quietly.  
"Shut up!" Mizuki whirled around.

_"Wow," _Naruto thought, _"Seven minutes into the class and he already wants to kill us. That's gotta be some sort of record..."_

"As I said!" the young teacher bellowed. "War. The middle-east. That's all you need to know. Now, I want to see hands in the air; Name at least three countries that have been affected in some way by these many wars."

During the next thirty minutes, Mizuki presented them all with an intense crash course in the War in the Middle-East, it resulted in a short summary - so full of info it was bursting at the seams.  
And then, after having sent the students out on a five minutes break, he'd prepared for them a popquiz on said summary.

It was a gloomy class who made their way down the stairs, towards their Art class in fifth period, where Deidara was waiting, under the strict, supervision of Jiraiya.  
The man lost interest about ten minutes into the lesson however, and retreating to his books, he let the young teacher do as he pleased.

Deidara was mad.

Naruto, and the others were of course already aware of this after their first meeting with him.  
But by the time this lesson was over, he was pretty sure; this gender-bending _thing_ was positively raving mad! And what was with the 'Yeah's after every sentence?!  
The blonde was pretty sure he'd go insane himself if he was going to have to put up with this for two months.  
He glanced over at Sasuke, who sat at the end of their table as usual. This way he didn't have to sit next to anyone.  
Naruto wondered what he thought of their art teacher.  
He stared a bit harder, and smiled: Judging from the look on Sasuke's face, he was all but impressed.  
Without showing much emotion, he managed to bring forth a look of utter disbelief, and something close to revulsion when Deidara pulled out two huge sacks of clay.

"Ceramics," the teacher said, "is what we'll be learning today. Just basics, you'll get to make figurines, yeah. Or..Plates and bowls if you'd like that, mm. And then in two lessons time we'll hopefully move onto the potter's wheel!"  
"Weren't we learning how to do sketches?"  
"Yeah! What happened to still-life portraits?!"  
"It's boring, yeah. You don't think so kids?"  
Kids.  
Kiba and Naruto exchanged glances and scoffed.  
Deidara wasn't that much older than they were. 20 at the oldest. Maybe 21.

"Anyway, as I told you last time, art is something that needs to be nurtured." he picked up a lump of clay, "And I'll teach you how.."  
He looked out at the students.  
Most of them were looking back at him, but that didn't mean they were paying attention to what he was saying.  
Most likely, more than a few of them were staring at him until their eyes hurt, not quite believing that he indeed _was_ a guy - ogling intensely, trying to find some tell-tale sign that they weren't being tricked.

"This here, is quick clay, or blue clay, it's the one that's the easiest to work with, so it's a good choice for beginners. Mm," he nodded to himself, "But! That doesn't mean it doesn't have _feelings_-"

The teenagers around him exchanged glances.  
Eyebrows rose, and people tried to contain their laughter.

"I'm not kidding, yeah. Think of... clay as you would think of your partner...your lover.." the blonde teacher's cheeks were tainted slightly pink, his blue eyes glowing.

"What?!"  
"He _is _mad!"

Deidara ignored them. "You wouldn't be too rough with someone you cared for..." his expression changed slightly, as if he had to rethink. His lip quirked. "Of course...some like it rough, but that's beside the point, yeah."  
The students laughed.  
Ok, so maybe he was insane, but at least he was entertaining, and not acting like a terrorist.

"My point, is that you need to handle the clay with care! At first you might have to pound it against the table to make it soften up and obey, but after that... handle it with care."  
He began kneading the lump in his hands. Gradually it's shape started to change, and it glided easily between his fingers.  
He placed it back on the table beside him, where Jiraiya was scribbling notes on a piece of paper. - Deidara's lecture must've given him some ideas.  
"Ok, so now, come up here, one table at the time, and get your clay."

They did as they were told. Naruto's group was the last table to receive theirs.

Deidara smiled at them, enthusiastically nodding when they picked up the cold, brownish-grey lumps. His blue gaze lingered a bit longer upon Sasuke, who in no fashion returned the gesture.

"Alright," Deidara proceeded once they had all sat back down, and softened up their pieces of clay by banging them against the tables. He held up his hands in front of him, palms reflecting the students. "Now, I want you to knead it, yeah. Not hard, not soft, but firm."  
Jiraiya stared.  
The teens giggled.  
Deidara frowned, but continued. "Once it's easy to manipulate; when it's not feeling cold anymore, and you can feel it's slightly moist, you start kneading more like this;"  
He showed them by clenching his hands rapidly.  
"Imagine there are little mouths inside your palms, yeah, and that they're chewing on the clay."

"Mouths?" Naruto hissed to Kiba.  
Kiba pointed to his head, swirling the finger around. "Nutcase..." he whispered.  
Naruto laughed quietly. Then he winced, as something cold and moist hit him in the neck.  
He turned, scowling at Sai.  
"What the hell is your problem?!" he snarled.

He didn't get to say much more.  
Deidara's calm, steady voice suddenly shrilled over their heads; "HEY! Pay attention!"  
Naruto waited for him to strike, but nothing happened. No one yelled his name. Instead the shrill went on; "You, Da Vinci over there!! Out!"  
Sai looked like he'd fallen from the moon. "What?"  
"I said OUT!" Deidara's slender finger pointed at the door. "I will not have you disrespecting my art!"  
Sai stood, still confused.  
"What are you waiting for?" Deidara wondered. "An invitation? Go outside, and stand in the hallway until class is over!"  
Sai lurked past him.

The young teacher shook his head. "Such a disappointment..." he mumbled.  
He'd probably expected Sai to treasure art as much as he did, after having seen his skills.  
Clearly, he didn't know Sai.

"Tough luck..." Sasuke said calmly, when the other raven passed him. Sai glared.  
The Uchiha smirked.  
Naruto grinned at him, noticing how Sai's eyes grew even darker.

"Where were we?" Deidara turned to the rest of them again, "Ah, yes. Try it. And then you can start sculpting afterwards, yeah!" he grinned, "Isn't this exciting?!"  
There wasn't much of an answer. He looked slightly annoyed at the lack of enthusiasm in the class.  
"What is wrong with you kids today?" he demanded. "Weren't you a lively bunch in our last lesson!?"  
He turned to Jiraiya, "What's wrong with them? I can't teach like this, yeah."  
The man didn't reply, just looked at the demanding youth in front of him, shaking his head. "You're doing fine," he finally said, "They're _supposed_ to be low spirited."  
The blonde frowned.  
He leaned down to a student on the first row, "What's with the depression?"  
He caught the words 'pop quiz' and 'modern history'.  
"Modern history? That's that...Mizuki's class isn't it?" for a moment Deidara seemed to be forgetting all about his clay, "What a jerk yeah!"  
The class looked up.  
Jiraiya's eyes widened, "You know...Talking about a fellow staff member like that is-"  
"I don't care! This morning he nearly ripped my head off, because I accidentally scraped the paintjob on that heap of junk of his, when I got out of the car. I wasn't even the one driving! But of course, Sasori was in a hurry, yeah, and couldn't deal with him, so he attacks _me!_ And then he leaves the parking lot in a fury, talking about insurance and lawyers!" fuming, he went on about this Sasori that none of them knew, and how he'd probably kill him when he heard. "I am the one who should be depressed!"

"At least it explains why Mizuki-sensei was so pissed..." Ino whispered to Sakura.  
The pink haired girl nodded, as did the rest of the table.  
Sasuke too, but Naruto doubted the others saw it.

"Deidara, can you please get back to teaching?" the biology teacher interrupted his ranting.  
"Oh, yes...Sorry yeah. But the salary they pay us, especially us students, isn't enough to cover a lawsuit you know?"  
"Just...focus on the ceramics. And I can get back to my papers."  
"Isn't that porn, yeah?"

The class burst into a fit of laughter.

"That's better!!" Deidara beamed, "Now, I want you to choose one of the tasks; sculpture; for instance an animal, or you can do a bowl or a plate. Get to work, yeah!"

About an hour later, the class left their lopsided, disastrous sculptures in the backroom, where they would be fired.  
Deidara said something about burning them for real, not to prepare them for the glazing, but no one took him seriously. Or maybe they just didn't care.

Their spirits were slightly lighter though.

Sai was still dawdling in the hallway when the others came out. It was surprising that he hadn't ran off when he had the chance. But maybe he'd expected to be let in again.

"So much for being the teacher's pet," Naruto remarked when he walked past him.  
Sai scowled, pushing him hard into the crowd with his shoulder.  
Kiba pushed Sai back, the raven crashing into the wall.  
He glared, but didn't try to counter it in any way. Instead he turned to Naruto again. "Well, maybe you should apply for the position then? Birds of a feather flock together, isn't that so? Even among you freaks?"  
The blonde ignored him, and walked on.

Once they'd rounded the corner and headed for the stairs, he said; "That Deidara might be a maniac, but he has some good points!"  
"And nerve!" Kiba laughed.  
"I don't think he's _that_ mad!" Sakura pointed out.  
"You just think he's hot."  
"If he really _is _a he..." Shikamaru frowned.  
"Oh stop it you guys!" the pink haired girl shook her head, "At least he's got a sense of humor!"  
"Probably comes with the madness..."  
"Chouji!"  
"Oh come on Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted, "HAND MOUTHS?!"  
"I have to agree with blondie; he's a freak."  
"What do you think Sasuke?"  
"I think," the raven said, continuing up the stairs. "We're late for Lit."  
"Like it matters," Naruto said, chasing after him, "Kakashi-sensei is always late anyway."  
Sasuke didn't listen to him, he just continued up to the third floor, with the others - Naruto up front, chasing after him.

* * *

Kakashi was more than half an hour late, and when he finally showed up, he realized he'd forgotten to bring copies of the text they were supposed to be studying. 

"Hey, you guys wanna go catch a bite after class with Shino and me?" Kiba turned to Naruto and Shikamaru.  
"Sure," Naruto shrugged.  
Shikamaru's lack of response was taken as an agreement.  
"Sasuke!" Naruto hollered, winning the raven's attention, "Are you coming?"  
The Uchiha gave some sort of nod and a grunt.  
"We're coming too!" Ino shrilled.  
"It's settled then!" Kiba decided, not waiting for Chouji's response. But that was pretty obvious already. The boy never turned down a meal.

* * *

Sitting at Burger King later that day the conversation mostly revolved around the hopeless teachers.  
They talked about Mizuki, and how his bad mood must've been caused by Deidara. Which brought them to the conclusion that although the blonde art teacher was unconventional and perhaps stark raving mad, they liked him.  
And then finally they went on to discuss Kakashi's utter hopelessness.  
Sasuke remained quiet most of the time, especially when they talked about the literature teacher. 

Then he asked; "Hey, what about tomorrow? What kind of teachers do we have?"

The group didn't get him at first.  
Ever since Sasuke transferred to their school, he'd never attended on a Tuesday, at least not the whole day: He'd show up for the last period; study hour, and then go home with the others. But he'd missed more than half of the day. Every Tuesday.

"Oh right! Boy are you in for an..._experience_..." Kiba snickered.  
Sasuke stared at him, trying to read his expression.  
Naruto grinned. "He's right. The majority of the day is ok. Kurenai is a bit strict and Religious Studies sucks, Math is a bitch as always, and Asuma-sensei...well, he's cool, unless you're allergic to smoke..."  
The raven sipped at his milkshake, "So...what about gym class?"  
"That," Naruto smirked, "is hard to explain. I doubt you'd even believe us if we told you."  
"Gai-sensei is definitely something you have to _see_ to believe." Shino said behind the neckband of his jacket.

* * *

Naruto was right, Sasuke realized the next day when the doors to the gym were pretty much _kicked_ open by... The Uchiha almost didn't believe his own eyes, but regardless of whether the bizarre sight in front of him was real or not, he felt a strong urge to avert his eyes from the beaming man in _green spandex_, with a bowl cut and eyebrows that could only be described as atomic, standing before him. 

He swallowed.

The teacher reached out his hand, "Maito Gai, nice to meet you!"  
"Yeah...Uchiha Sasuke...Hi..."  
"Oh I know!" the man beamed. "Everyone knows who you are you know!"  
"Yes I-"  
"I must say, you're a bit...punier than I had imagined, but you're still YOUNG! We'll have you in great shape in no time!"

There was absolutely nothing wrong with Sasuke's physique or stamina. But as he came to understand during the class, Gai's standards were far beyond high.  
The man had the class run a hundred laps around the gym, while he ordered loudly; "Touch the ground! Left hand! Right hand! Run backwards! Forwards! Faster! Get your blood pumping!"

Most of the students were gasping for breath when they sank back down on the benches afterwards.  
If nothing else, at least they were all warmed up, but they already ached all over, their bodies feeling like they couldn't move another inch.

The teacher was standing before them, grinning, "Alright! We'll proceed with some light exercises!"

The class groaned.  
There was no such thing as 'light exercises' in this class.

Sasuke leaned over to Naruto, whispering under his strained breath; "Is he always like this...?"  
Naruto swallowed, wiping sweat from his forehead, "Yeah...Always..."  
"I want you to team up! Two and two!"  
The blonde looked over at Sasuke, his look was determined, but wondering.  
Sasuke smirked slightly, nodding.

Gai's light exercises turned out to be less terrible than Naruto had expected, but it was hard enough.

"You want us to do what?!"  
"As I said," the man beamed, "I want you to pair up and then enjoy some light exercise. In the form of carrying each other on your backs while you're doing various crouches and push-ups and then finally a relay race where you'll have six people on one team and you'll race each other whilst still carrying a team mate on your backs!"  
Gai had a broad grin on his face all the time while explaining.  
"Now, get to it!" he clapped his hands, "Oh!" he suddenly cried out. "If you're a boy-girl pair, obviously switching might not be the best idea, so all the best to you guys!"

The boys who were teamed up with a girl all frowned.  
"How are we supposed to get a proper work-out then?" a girl inquired.  
"You'll just have to make sure you cling on to your partner with every muscle!"  
The girl merely rolled her eyes and turned to her partner.

Naruto and Sasuke glared at each other.  
"Well?"  
"Well what?"  
"Get on," Sasuke ordered.  
"No way."

It was an instant battle for domination. Neither wanted to be the passive, and thus less manly. It was ridiculous, but also the usual way for a teenage boy to be thinking.

"Would you just get on my back already, dobe?"  
Naruto looked Sasuke up and down, eyes searching his slender frame. "No way, you'd never be able to handle it!"  
"What? You're _that_ fat?" Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest.  
Naruto rolled his eyes, "I'm gonna pretend that was a joke on your behalf, and let the thought of you having humor baffle me."  
The Uchiha cocked an eyebrow.  
"Even Gai-sensei said it," Naruto continued, "You're far too puny."  
"Are you kidding me?"  
"No. Which is why I'm gonna carry _you_."  
"No."  
"Sasuke!"  
"You could never carry me _and_ keep your balance."  
"Oh, so I can't handle it, is that it?!"  
"Yeah. You could never do two things at once!"  
"That's it!" the blonde crouched down. "Get on."  
"Forget it."  
"God!" Naruto snarled, "You're so stubborn!! Ok, fine. We have to switch again anyways. Get down."  
"Hn," there was a distinct tone of self-satisfaction in Sasuke's voice as he crouched down, allowing Naruto to get on his back.  
Mimicking Gai's demonstration, and the others around them, he rose to a standing position and then crouched down again.

"As many as you can!" Gai announced from the other side of the gym, "Nothing below one hundred crouches is acceptable!"  
Again the class groaned in unison.

"Are all teachers at this school mad?" Sasuke muttered.  
"Save your breath," came Naruto's reply. "You're gonna need it, trust me."  
His arms rested around Sasuke's neck, his legs firmly wrapped around his waist.  
The raven crouched down and stood up, crouched and stood.  
Underneath Sasuke's shirt, Naruto could feel muscles flexing.  
A few stray strands of midnight brushed against his face with each time Sasuke stood.  
It tickled.  
The blonde wrinkled his nose, in attempt to relieve himself from the tickling sensation. As he inhaled he caught the scent of Sasuke's hair.  
And for a brief moment he was flung years back in time.  
To a time when that scent had surrounded him and provided comfort.  
He closed his eyes. And it felt like Sasuke's scent was surrounding him.

"God damn it Naruto!"  
Sasuke's voice made Naruto snap out of his daze.  
"Are you listening?!"  
"Sorry, what?"  
"I said, get off!"

Naruto let himself sink to the floor, still slightly dazed and confused from suddenly remembering something like that.  
"That was a hundred and sixteen..." Sasuke took a sip from his water bottle, "Let's see you do better."  
The blonde pursed his lips, "You'll regret saying that, Uchiha," he crouched down, and took Sasuke on his back.  
The raven was not too comfortable with the current situation. He probably found it humiliating, Naruto could tell by how tense his body seemed.

In the end, Naruto managed to do a hundred and seventeen crouches, thus beating Sasuke by one. But after having completed the push-ups, Sasuke had beaten Naruto with one hundred and twenty-four to one hundred and fifteen. So their little dispute was all but settled.

The exercises had rendered them too tired to argue over it though.  
In any case, they were probably pretty even, both in physique and stamina, but there were a few key differences; Naruto was smaller than Sasuke, but due to their difference in bone structure, Sasuke was the lighter one, still, that didn't make him any weaker than Naruto. So it was difficult for one of them to beat the other, as they both had the advantage at different things.  
It was an annoyance, as well as a comfort.

"Now then," Gai bellowed, "Let's form teams!"

For the relay race, Sasuke and Naruto were teamed up with Sakura and Ino and Kiba and Sai. The last pair was a dreadful combination. The two of them showed just as little interest in this kind of activity. Kiba usually enjoyed a good work out, it was just that he hated to do things when he was told to, and so he wasn't a big fan of gymclass.  
Sai, on the other hand, loathed this class. If he could have it his way, he wouldn't participate at all, but he had to show up, not to end up with too much absence, and once you set foot inside of the gym, Gai wouldn't let you off the hook unless you were seriously injured or ill.  
He was, however pretty good in most sports, without excelling, but he managed. So he wasn't a bad person to have on your team, if it hadn't been for the fact that he hated Naruto, and most likely would rather sabotage the whole team than to let him have the satisfaction of winning.  
So together, Kiba and Sai were not exactly the kind of people you'd rely on to win a competition. Especially not when they had to work together.

"Sensei!" Ino called out, "What are the rules? Do we have to run in the pairings we had from earlier, or can we team up freely within the team?"  
"Do as you wish, as long as you give your ALL!"  
"Then, it's ok for one person to run twice?"  
"I'd prefer it if you all ran at least one round, but let's say that you're allowed to participate in two races; both as a runner and as the extra weight!"

Naruto noticed a vein popping on the blonde girl's forehead. 'Extra weight' was not a flattering nick name for a seventeen year old girl.

"Alright, take five minutes to decide who runs with who and all that, and then give your all!"  
The group huddled together over by the wall.  
Sai stood slightly away from the others, clearly demonstrating what kind of participation they could expect from him.  
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Fine, you don't have to run. We'll be better off without your 'help'."

"Right, so...Who runs with who?"

Instantly the two girls started bickering about which one would get to ride on Sasuke's back. But the raven interrupted them; "Look, if we want to win this thing we're gonna have to think logical. We should pick the fastest runners for the race. And the lightest of us for the passengers... "  
As expected they moved on to bitch about which one of them was the fatter one...  
Sasuke shot them a sharp glare.  
It was weird to see him like this; he almost seemed worked up.

"I suggest," Sai mumbled from his corner. "That you just scratch Naruto from the race altogether, or we'll definitely lose."  
"I'd rather have a loser than a saboteur on my team thank you." Kiba spat. He grinned sheepishly as he turned to Naruto; "No offense..."  
Naruto just laughed.

"Ok, so who's least tired?" he asked.  
All eyes turned to Ino, Sakura and Kiba.  
"If...Sakura and Ino pair up, we have a good chance to win the first round..."  
"And we should save Kiba for last... since he's most definitely the most energetic."  
"Not to mention that he's hardly used any strength today..." the girls giggled.  
"Ok, so...Sakura, you're the stronger one, so you'll carry Ino..."  
The pink-haired girl nodded. Ino smiled, obviously taking it as being assumed the lighter of the two of them.

"Kiba, you'll carry...me!" Naruto pointed to himself, "Wait... I run second, carrying Sakura-chan," he winked at the girl, who blatantly ignored him, "When we get to the finish line, I jump onto your back and you start running. We _can't_ lose!"  
"I'm not so sure about that..."  
"Have some faith!" Naruto bellowed enthusiastically.  
Sasuke shook his head, but had to agree. They could win some time, if the partner-switch went fast enough.  
Then again, as much as his adolescent self wanted to win, he didn't care much as long as he didn't have to be in the race, and make an utter fool of himself.

"ARE YOU ALL READY?!" the spandex-clad teacher cried out.  
The teams were lined up in one end of the gym. "Yes!"  
"THEN..." Gai held his breath for a while, "Ready...set...GO!"

Off they went; Sakura with Ino on her back, with two brown-haired boys on one side, Chouji and a girl on the other. Chouji lagged a bit behind the rest of the field, but his team still cheered them on. Their second racer was fast, and would easily make up for lost time.

Still, none of the other teams had anything on Sakura and Ino; because Sakura was smaller than any of the other racers, who were all guys, she was faster. And since she was strong, and Ino was light, it was no deal for them to race from one end of the gym to the other and back.  
They had a few seconds on their fellow contestants when they rushed over the finish line as the first team. But as Sakura let Ino down on her feet, and leaped onto Naruto's back, they lost a bit of time as she fumbled and he had to hoist her back up.

"Run Naruto!" Ino cheered.

The blonde left the line just as the others rushed back in and gained a small head start.  
He was fast.  
Really fast, Sasuke noticed. He heard Sakura laughing; they were already almost at the wall while the others were barely halfway across.  
Looking over at Kiba, he saw the brunette getting ready. He was already crouching, ready to run as Naruto crossed the finish line, cheered on by the girls. Almost in one motion he let Sakura down to her feet, and jumped onto Kiba's back.  
Already at that point it was settled. They were seconds before the other teams. Shino, with Hinata on his back was the only one who put up a fair fight, but even they had to kiss victory goodbye; the two boys were just too fast for them all.  
There! Kiba slammed his palm into the wall and turned on his heel.

"YES! GO!" Ino was jumping up and down now.  
Sakura too, "You've got them! Go Kiba!"  
Even Sasuke found himself to be balling up his fists in excitement. He didn't care anymore that it was just a stupid game. He felt like he was a part of something. And it felt good.

Kiba was really giving his all now; his feet were like drumsticks against the floor.  
He crossed the finish line, nearly a meter before Shino, and as he did, Naruto flung his arms in the air, crying out his victory; "YES! Take that losers!"  
He didn't get the time to notice the annoyed, angry glances that some shot him, as Kiba tripped over his own feet.  
The brunette stumbled, and wavered, but managed to stay on his feet; Naruto on the other hand, was pretty much flung from his back.  
Sakura, Ino and Kiba all reached for his shirt, to slow his fall...Just enough for Naruto's course to change slightly, sending him straight into Sasuke's arms.  
Catching the raven off guard, they both tumbled to the floor.  
The rest of the team looked at them, wide eyed.  
Naruto looked at Sasuke, offering an apologetic grin.  
Sasuke glared at him, only to let his scowl resolve into a smirk. He bit his lip, but failed to hold back a slight croak.

Naruto winced.  
Was that...Sasuke laughing?  
He looked at the raven again, and failed to contain a snicker, "Sorry..." he said, laughing harder.  
Sasuke's smile grew wider. He laughed.  
Rising to his feet, he pulled Naruto up, both of them still laughing.

Soon their whole team, apart from Sai, who'd made his exit long ago, were cracking up, with the others just staring in disbelief.  
Whether it was the sight of Uchiha Sasuke showing emotion, or of five people laughing at nothing in particular, was unclear.

"God, Kiba!" Naruto laughed, "You're such a klutz!"  
"Me?!"  
"Yeah you!"  
"Hey," Sasuke said, nudging Naruto in the ribs, "I've had you on my back, you're not exactly light as a feather you know!"

Something dissolved inside of the blonde at that moment.  
Sasuke was really opening up to him. Even here, in public.  
It was strange, and yet familiar. It felt safe, but confusing.  
He was still being a cocky bastard... but Sasuke was _laughing._ And what's more, he was laughing at Naruto...or..._with_ him.  
It was such a relief.  
"Shut up bastard!" he retorted, with the same grin plastered on his face.

Gai came over to him. "It's so nice to see such SPIRIT!" he started, "Congratulations! You really gave your all..." he stopped, "Where's Sai?"  
Naruto shrugged, "Gone."  
"Jeez... He's so unenthusiastic! It's such a shame! He should really learn how to enjoy his youth more!"

No one really listened anymore from that point. But they followed the teacher's ramblings enough to catch that they were to play basket ball for the remaining twenty minutes of class, and that their prize as winners was to play the first match and choose their own opponent.

They wound up choosing Shikamaru's team.

But as it turned out, the lazy-bum was teamed up with two of the players on their school basket team. They were pretty much doomed from the beginning; being one player short, and Naruto constantly trying to fling the ball _at_ Sasuke.  
He got one good hit once, accompanied by a; "That's for the fat jokes, Sasuke-teme!"

"Would you lay off Uzumaki!?" an annoyed player on the other team shouted, "This isn't dodge-ball!"  
Naruto ignored him.

Sasuke passed the ball to Kiba.  
In the end though, they lost the game, and prized themselves in getting fifteen minutes of rest as the others played.

"GOOD GAME EVERYONE!" Gai blew his whistle, "Alright, it's time to hit the showers!"  
Sighing with relief, the class got up from the benches and headed to their respective lockerrooms.

* * *

Naruto sank down on the floor, after refilling his water bottle.  
He started untying his shoe. He did it slowly.  
By the time he got them both off, most of the others were already in the showers.

He looked over to the opposite wall.  
Sasuke was already zipping up his sweatshirt.  
"Not showering?" Naruto asked him.  
Sasuke shook his head.  
"Me neither." the blonde announced.

He never showered.  
He just couldn't bear them all seeing...asking questions...

"I'll probably go home and shower during lunch," Sasuke said thoughtfully, stepping over to the sink, looking himself in the dirty mirror. He ran his pale fingers through ebony hair, then turned to Naruto again.  
Their eyes met.  
There was an understanding in the way they looked at each other. Knowing glances were exchanged. And yet, neither of them could be sure that the other knew.  
Naruto was the first to speak. "Cool."

Sasuke nodded. He picked up his bag, and made for the door. "See you in class."  
"Yeah."

* * *

Tuesdays were always weird. Gym class kind of threw the whole class off balance, and rendered them exhausted for the rest of the day.  
After that R.S was a total bore, even when Kurenai's quick lines and sharp tongue attacked some poor guy who'd fallen asleep. And just when they started to get into things, forty minutes had passed, and Azuma came in, telling them to get their English books out.  
The madness was rounded off with a study hour that made no sense; half the time there wasn't even a teacher present, and mostly everyone just hung around, staring intensely at the clock.

This particular Tuesday, however, Naruto was less concentrated than usual.  
He looked over at Sasuke; the Uchiha's hair was still moist. Wet strands kept falling into his eyes. He caught himself wondering if the scent was still there, or if it had been washed away.  
And so, he nearly fell from his chair in surprise when Sasuke suddenly looked back at him.

"What?" the raven inquired.  
"What?" Naruto replied.  
Sasuke's lip quirked. A warm calm spread inside of Naruto.  
"I don't have the book yet," Sasuke mouthed, "Can I look at yours?"  
Naruto nodded, moving his desk closer to the Uchiha's.  
"I never thought I'd see the day when the great Uchiha Sasuke had to ask _me_ for help!" he teased.  
"Shut up dobe."

Just then Kurenai entered the classroom.  
"Alright, everyone, turn to page sixty-three; and start reading about Hinduism. If there is time, start doing the control questions on page seventy."

* * *

_The sun was setting, disappearing behind the pine trees in the horizon.  
__It's dying rays assembled in the drops of water that lingered from the rain, as well as in the tears on Naruto's cheeks.  
__He'd stopped crying long ago, but the tears were still sitting on his skin, sparkling in the light like pearls. A pale hand was holding his own.  
__They were leaning against a white wall, without uttering a word. _

_  
__Neither of the two children wanted to go inside, and even less now, that they knew it was already past bedtime.  
__Although it was more than an hour since his arm had been twisted, it still hurt.  
__And he was getting sleepy. The evening sun made him feel drowsy. His eyelids were heavy.  
__When Naruto finally gave in to the drowsiness, his head tilted to the side, resting on the other's shoulder. _

_This time, stronger than any other, he felt it was real. He smelled the scent that was Sasuke's, and Sasuke's alone.  
__It made him feel safe.  
__Even when the shrill of a woman's voice forced him awake, he still felt safe. _

_The voice continued to yell at them; hands grabbing them by the collars, shaking them violently.  
__A palm struck Naruto's left cheek.  
__Soon after Sasuke got a taste of the same treatment.  
__"Insolent children!"  
__"This ought to teach you to respect adults!"  
__His eyes were watering again; they brimmed over with tears, that made their way down his reddening cheek.  
__But with the other boy at his side, with his hand clutching his own, he felt safe_.

Naruto sat up abruptly, his breathing quick and erratic.  
The dream had been way too real.  
Because it _was_ real. It had happened before. Years ago.  
He had remembered the incident earlier, during gym class.  
The blonde swallowed.  
He wiped sweaty strands of hair from his forehead.

"Bad dream?" Gaara's voice came from the other bed.

So he hadn't fallen asleep yet. The numbers on their alarm clock showed 03:45.

"Try bad memory..." Naruto mumbled. "Bad night?"  
"Like usual," the red's voice was indifferent.  
Naruto crawled out of bed, and fumbled in the dark on his way towards the door, "I'm gonna get a glass of water, you want something?"  
"A good night's sleep..." Gaara replied in a humorless tone.  
"Alright then." Naruto slunk out the door, and down the stairs.

He made his way into the kitchen, grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it to the brim with water.  
He emptied it in one gulp.  
Afterwards he remained there, resting his arms on each side of the sink.

It had all been so real...he'd remembered the incident so vividly, he could feel the pain.  
He still felt Sasuke's hand in his own, but instead of giving him courage, it made him feel terrible; because the safety he'd felt belonged to a time that was over long ago.  
And that wasn't even the start of it... he had been rescued. Iruka had taken him from that place and brought him here. Sasuke had been left there. Alone.  
Naruto hadn't been able to do anything about it...all he could do was stand by and watch as his own life changed, while Sasuke was stuck in that hell...

It felt like it was all his fault.  
In his mind he was certain that Sasuke's cold attitude towards him was because of what had happened back then.  
The other probably hated him for it.  
But if he could just _talk_ to Sasuke...  
And tell him... tell him what?  
That he had been too scared to make them rescue him as well?  
Remind him of who was to blame for the suffering the Uchiha had endured by himself?

Naruto felt sick.  
A part of him felt like he was six years old again, only this time he was six years old and alone.  
Like Sasuke had been.  
He wanted to throw up.

Cold sweat trickled down his back, he leaned over the sink. Taking a deep breath he filled his lungs with fresh air, and exhaled slowly.  
Did Sasuke ever feel like this, he wondered. Did he ever feel like he was back at that place, without any other comfort than a warm hand to hold on to? And did he suffer? Probably...Since he had spent more time there, without a hand to hold...

"Are you ok?"  
Naruto spun around at the sound of Gaara's voice.  
"You scared me!"  
"You scared _me!_ I thought you were just going for some water?"  
"I was... I mean..."  
"You look terrible."  
"Ugh... I feel terrible.."  
Gaara hesitantly touched his hand to Naruto's back, in a supporting gesture.  
"You've got school in the morning, go back to bed. You'll feel better."  
Naruto nodded, "I hope so."

They found their way back to their room in the dark.

"Wanna talk about it?"  
Naruto shook his head. It was too dark for Gaara to see, but the red understood.

Despite the surreal turn the night had taken, and how awful he felt, Naruto managed to get back to sleep merely minutes after crawling in under the covers.

* * *

When the alarm clock rang, he dragged himself out of bed. He noticed Gaara's bed was already empty. Then he made his way to the bathroom, and then finally down stairs to the kitchen.  
He could hear their old TV rattling in the living room, where the younger of the children were watching some cartoon. Chiyo and Yumi were preparing Bentos.

Gaara sat at the table, glaring down into a bowl of cereal. The rings under his eyes were darker than usual, "Morning."  
"You didn't sleep at all?" Naruto asked, taking out a bowl, joining him at the table.  
"A little...twenty minutes or so... What about you? Still bothered by that dream?"  
"What dream?" Yumi turned around.  
"It's nothing," Naruto said, pouring milk over his cereal. "Don't worry about it."  
"You look a little pale...Are you feeling alright?"  
"Yeah," he lied, "Just a little tired."

Gaara's aquamarine eyes followed him as he shoveled cereal into his mouth. He swallowed, and grimaced. His appetite wasn't the best this morning.

"You're a bad liar," Gaara stated, crossing his arms over his chest.  
"Give me a break, ok Gaara? I'm just having a bad day," Naruto bent down to tie his shoes.  
"If you say so," the red sighed.  
Naruto stood back up, and placed his hands on Gaara's shoulders, "Don't worry about me. That dream just...shook me up a little..."  
"What was it about?"  
The blonde forced a smile, "You know...I don't even remember anymore..."  
"You said something about a memory."  
"I did?"  
They started at each other. Naruto shrugged, "I can't remember that either." he bit his lip, knowing that Gaara saw right through him.  
"If you don't want to talk about it..."  
"Later, ok? Just... give me some time," Naruto sighed. "I have to go, I'm already running late...And...ugh, I really don't want to go."  
"Why?" Gaara asked worriedly.  
Naruto looked out the window. "Well, firstly there's the weather," he frowned, staring at the masses of water pouring from the sky, "And... I don't know. I just feel like sleeping today."  
"I know the feeling."  
Naruto's lip quirked slightly, "Ah well, it's too late to say I'm sick now... See you later."

Gaara nodded, watching him as the blonde went through the door, out into the rain.

* * *

Naruto's feet shuffled against the ground.  
Thoughts were swimming around in his head.  
Mostly they revolved around Gaara. He felt terrible for not letting him know what was on his mind. He hated lying to the red, especially since Gaara _always_ knew.  
Naruto didn't want to hurt his best friend, and he didn't want to go around dealing with this on his own anymore. But he felt he had to talk to Sasuke first.  
And that...was alot harder than he had imagined.

Every time he had tried so far, something had interrupted him, and the chance hadn't come up again. Secondly, it wasn't an easy subject to go into. He couldn't just strike up a conversation starting with; "Hey Sasuke, do you remember when we were at that orphanage where they abused us?!"  
And...He was scared, he realized. Scared that Sasuke really held a grudge against him.  
The Uchiha was cold, that was true. So maybe Naruto's imagination hadn't ran wild last night... Maybe Sasuke really did hold that grudge. It sure would explain alot.

The rain hit hard against his face.  
He was drenched, his hair hanging in wet tousles, flattened by the downpour.  
Maybe he should just skip school today?  
He didn't have to go back. He could just hang around the mall all day, or go to Iruka's house. After all, he had a spare key...

He stopped.

It was very tempting, considering how he was already soaked. And besides, he didn't want to deal with anyone today; Iruka was teaching first period, and he'd definitely start asking questions. Like Gaara, he always noticed it when something was bothering Naruto. He didn't want to meet his friends, and plaster a fake grin on his face for eight hours... and he most definitely didn't want to see Sasuke. Not now.  
Not when he was so confused.

"Yeah," he said to himself, "I'll just give myself a day off."  
He started to turn on his heel, when someone called out his name.

He ignored the voice, it was probably just someone out to insult him anyway.

"Usuratonkachi! Are you deaf?!"  
He turned his head, "Sasuke?"  
He spotted the black car, on the other side of the road.  
A part of him wanted to disappear; just run away.  
He did _not_ want to deal with Sasuke right now. But his feet weren't listening to his thoughts, and so he found himself walking over to the car.

"What?" he asked sourly.  
"What, you're in a bad mood?" Sasuke replied, rising an eyebrow.  
Naruto chewed on his lip, "It's just the weather and stuff...you know?"  
Sasuke nodded, and smiled.

He smiled.

Then he opened the car door, "Come on, get in. I'll give you a ride."

Wide eyed, Naruto got in the passenger seat, and as he felt himself warming up again, he realized that he had forgotten one thing; Sasuke wasn't cold and distant anymore.  
Sasuke was here.  
And he was smiling.  
Yesterday they'd been laughing together.  
They were friends.  
Just as he had aimed. Friends.  
He exhaled and relaxed. There was nothing to worry about. He'd been freaking out over nothing.  
"Just a slight case of paranoia..." he said to himself.

"Did you say something?" Sasuke turned to him.  
"Nevermind," Naruto assured, "So, what are you doing around here so early?"  
"I had to go by the pharmacy..."  
"This early?"  
"Yeah."  
Obviously Sasuke didn't want to elaborate why he'd been at the pharmacy at seven thirty in the morning, so Naruto didn't ask any more about it.  
"But since it was raining so hard I decided to wait around and see if you showed up."  
"You...were waiting for me?"  
"Is that so hard to believe?"  
"Coming from you..." Naruto said, "well...Yeah."  
Sasuke turned the steering wheel to the left, "Excuse me for trying to be nice."  
"No, I appreciate it. It's just a little...un-Sasuke..."  
The raven smiled again. "Would you rather walk in the rain?"  
"Of course not!"  
"Then stop complaining."  
"I wasn't..."  
"Naruto, I'm kidding."  
"I know that, bastard."  
"If you're gonna act like that, I will drop you off."  
Naruto laughed, "No, you wouldn't."  
"Wanna bet?"  
Naruto paused, "...No..."  
Sasuke chuckled, "Nice choice."

* * *

"Gaara!" Naruto stumbled through the door, kicking his shoes off.  
"Don't make such a fuss! And line your shoes up properly!" Chiyo's voice came from the kitchen.  
"Sorry," Naruto snagged an apple from the bowl on the counter. "Where's Gaara?"  
"He's upstairs, studying for his history test."  
"Ok!" Naruto rushed up the stairs.

"Gaara!" the blonde flung the door open and threw himself on his friend's bed.  
"You're in high spirit?" Gaara looked up from his history book.  
"Today was so awesome!"  
"Oh? I thought it was the day from hell?" Gaara's lips curved upwards.  
"Turns out it wasn't."  
"Alright," Gaara closed the book, "Let's hear it."  
"Well...You've probably noticed how early it is, so no need to tell you how awesome it is when selective studies are cancelled and we get out four hours early." the blonde grinned.  
"May I remind you that since your selected class for those four hours is the infamous 'practical project' class, where you just sit around anyway?"  
"Who cares about that?" Naruto broke him off, "The point is, I got out of that hell hole four hours early!"  
Gaara gave a soft laugh, "And that's enough to put you in this kind of mood?"  
"No, it's not," Naruto grabbed his backpack and unzipped it, pulling out a plastic folder.  
"What's that?"  
"Our project."  
"What project?"  
"The Social Studies thing... we got it back today."  
"And?"  
"We aced it!"  
"Seriously!?" it was almost amusing to hear the surprise in Gaara's voice.  
"YES!" Naruto flipped the pages, and showed Gaara the red 'A', "I mean, I know we had Shika...but I've never aced anything in my life!"  
"I know."  
"Gee, thanks," the Uzumaki hit him playfully in the arm.

"This is great though!" Gaara flipped through the pages, "Even Sai's drawings."  
"Yeah, he put a lot into it, for a selfish jerk..."  
Gaara gave him back the folder, "Did you show it to Chiyo baa-san yet?"  
Naruto shook his head, "No, I wanted to tell you first. But I'm gonna show it to her now, and then you and I are gonna go out to celebrate!"  
"Celebrate?"  
"Yup!" Naruto sprung from the bed. "This is without doubt a once in a lifetime thing, so we need to celebrate it!"  
"Not to burst your bubble blondie, but we're not exactly well off, so the celebration you're talking about will be anything but grand... And I have to study."  
"Then bring your book! You can still read while buying me ramen!"  
"Excuse me?" Gaara's light eyes locked to Naruto's.  
"Well obviously a part of the celebration is you treating me to some ramen!"  
"I thought the triumphant one was always the one buying?"  
"Do I look like I have any money?"  
Gaara sighed, "Fine, I'll go. You don't have to make the puppy dog eyes. But I can only treat you to one bowl. I'm not rich you know."  
"That's more than enough! Start getting ready then!" he said, rushing back down the stairs, folder in hand.

Gaara smiled to himself, "I guess you're ok after all..."

* * *

"You're coming to the Hanami on Saturday right?"  
"Nah," Gaara pulled his shirt over his head.  
"But, we're all going!"  
"I'm not."

Naruto threw his rolled up socks into the heap of laundry that was flooding the corner over by the door.

After eating at Ichiraku's, Naruto had helped Gaara study, if you could call it help, the blonde was easily distracted... And in the end, Gaara'd only gotten through half of the chapter by the time Chiyo called upstairs that it was time for bed.

"Yeah but...why not?" Naruto whined.  
"It's Kankurou's birthday this weekend remember?"  
"Yeah, but that's not until Sunday, right?"  
"Exactly; one public gathering is enough for one weekend."  
"But...I was really looking forward to it! We're gonna have a picnic and take lots of pictures and..."  
"Good night, Naruto," Gaara said, flipping the light switch.  
"Fine, have it your way. But I'll be calling you every fifteen minutes to try and make you come join us. And I've still got tomorrow and Friday to convince you before that."  
Gaara threw a pillow at him in the darkness.  
"_Good. Night!_"

* * *

"Naruto!" the pink haired girl chased after him down the hall.

It was Friday afternoon, Social Studies was just over, and the class was preparing to go home.  
That was the great thing about Fridays; Getting out at one-thirty.  
"Yeah?" Naruto stopped by the door, waiting for Sakura to catch up.  
"Do you have time to come with me today? My mom's been nagging me to get a part time job...So I have to go job hunting."  
"Why do you need me to go job hunting?" Naruto tilted his head.  
"For company! I don't want to trawl the entire city by myself!"  
"Sorry, I have to get home early. And Sasuke's waiting."  
"Sasuke?" Sakura's eyes lit up.  
"Yeah, he's offered me a ride."  
"Again?" she seemed surprised, "You two seem to be getting along well lately."  
There was a sort of longing in her voice.  
"Yeah..." Naruto rubbed his neck, "I guess..."  
"Well," Sakura sighed, "I'm going in the opposite direction, so as much as I'd like to join you, I can't."  
"Join us? It's not like we're doing anything. I'm just hitching a ride."  
"Still..." she trailed off, and changed the subject. "I guess I'll ask someone else then."  
"Okay, good luck."  
"Thanks Naruto. I'll see you tomorrow."  
"Yeah."

Naruto's eyes followed the girl as she made her way down the hall, noticed Hinata and called out the girl's name.

Walking through the door, Naruto saw that Sasuke had already started the car, and was waiting for him at the far end of the parking lot.

"What took you so long?" Sasuke asked, seemingly annoyed as soon as Naruto opened the door.  
"I was talking to Sakura..."  
"Sakura?" Sasuke's voice sounded apprehensive all of a sudden, "She's not coming, is she?"  
Naruto laughed, "Relax, she just wanted to ask me something. But she's not that bad you know."  
"Easy for you to say," Sasuke said, "It's not like she's all over you all the time."  
"Sadly," Naruto smirked.  
"What?" Sasuke turned to look at him. "You...like her?"  
Naruto shrugged, "A little...I dunno..."

Sasuke stared at him, without saying anything. Something seemed to change in his eyes for a split second, but it went away just as quickly, "But...she's so annoying!"  
Naruto laughed harder, "You really aren't good with women, are you?"  
Sasuke didn't reply.

"That's kinda weird... since they flock to you the way they do," Naruto rambled on. "Or...maybe that's why... they always travel in packs, so you never get to talk properly to just one...that's it, right?"  
Sasuke set the car in reverse and backed out of the parking lot, refusing to reply.

When he dropped Naruto off in the drive way outside the orphanage, the blonde told him to wait, "I have to run inside and get something."

Minutes later he was back, carrying a plastic bag.

"I was meaning to give it to you earlier, but it slipped my mind..." he handed the bag to Sasuke.  
"What's..?"  
"Your sweater. You know, the one I borrowed that night? It's been a while, but it's been washed and everything..."  
"Thanks."  
"So, where are you going anyway?"  
"My old school..." Sasuke said, "They wanted me to come in and do some paperwork or something..."  
"That must be some school," Naruto said, scratching his head. "It's been almost six months since you transferred, and they're not done with the paperwork yet?"  
"Yeah...It's something alright..." Sasuke said, sounding very distant.  
"I guess you have to go?"  
"Yeah. Guess so."  
"Thanks for giving me a ride."  
"Don't mention it."  
"Then I won't," Naruto smiled. "See you tomorrow."  
"Tomorrow?"  
"The Hanami! Sasuke-teme! You promised!"  
"Yeah yeah, I know. When are you guys leaving?"  
"Around sevenish..."  
"Ok, I'll meet you at the park then."  
"Okay." Naruto slammed the door shut, smiling, "See you!"  
Sasuke nodded, and drove off.

* * *

Sasuke made his way down the sterile, white hall, He shuddered.  
There were far too many things in this building he didn't want to be reminded of.  
And still, he had to keep coming back here.

A man came out of a room further up the hall. "Ah, Sasuke."  
"Hi."  
"We're ready for you, just come on in."  
The teen followed the man into the room, where Anko, his former teacher, and some young woman with glasses sat around a table waiting for him.  
"Sit down, please."  
He did as told.  
"How are you today? Anko tells us you've been making progress."  
Sasuke shrugged, "If that was the case, you wouldn't call me back here constantly, right?"  
Anko shot him a sharp glance.  
"Fine...I guess I'm fine..."  
"And you're thriving at Konoha High?"  
He shrugged again, "I'm not missing this place, if that's what you're implying."

He looked over at the woman with glasses; she was making notes on a clipboard. "So what is this?"  
"We just want to make sure that you're doing ok. Letting you live on your own wasn't an easy decision to make, and we still aren't sure it's good for you. Especially in that house."  
"I'm used to the house thank you," he replied coolly.  
"And you're taking your medications?"  
Sasuke stared down at the table, "Yes."  
"Good." the man turned to Anko, "You told him to lower the dosage, right? How is that working out for him?"  
"He's doing fine." she replied.

_"I'm right here." _Sasuke thought, annoyed. What was wrong with asking _him _the question? He was the one it concerned after all.  
If they were just gonna talk over his head, they could've refrained from calling him in.

"What about friends?"  
"He seems to have gotten over his anti-social stage..." Anko started. "And he's made a few good friends."  
"Don't put words in my mouth," Sasuke muttered.  
"Don't be silly Sasuke, you've been hanging out with Naruto's group a lot, haven't you?"

Naruto.  
Sasuke closed his eyes, and wished himself far away from this room.  
Everything seemed to revolve around Naruto lately.  
They'd been hanging out a lot, that was true.  
He had been offering Naruto a ride home several times lately. And he was starting to...open up to the blonde. Why?  
He didn't get it.  
He wanted to stay away from them all, and most of all Naruto. But the other boy was so easy to talk to, like he always had been. It was hard to keep him at a distance.  
Why was it so hard?

Sasuke continued to wonder throughout the meeting, replying to their questions on instinct. The thoughts filled his head on the drive home, and throughout the day.  
He thought of how nice it was to talk to someone who didn't seem to expect something from him, and of how strange it had felt to laugh with someone again. How liberating.  
And Naruto was the cause of this.  
But at the same time...Sasuke was uncertain of himself.

"What am I doing?" he asked himself aloud. Why had he accepted the invitation to go to the Hanami? And why had he asked Naruto if he wanted a ride home, again?  
It only brought them closer.  
And it scared him.  
Which was ridiculous, because Uchiha's didn't get scared.  
"Hn," he said to himself. If Anko and those other morons could read his mind and all the complications in it, they would have a field day, he was sure of it.  
He _wanted_ to get along with the others.  
He wanted to be able to talk with Naruto. But what the other wanted to talk about...He was fairly sure he knew. And he didn't want to think about it.  
He'd wanted to ask himself, more than a couple of times; if he remembered? If he had been diagnosed with some stupid trauma because of it? And if he was ok. But that would be at the risk of sounding like the people he hated so much.  
And he didn't want that. He didn't want to think of it at all.

It hurt.  
That was the truth. When he was close to Naruto, it hurt.  
He kinda wished that it could all be some misunderstanding, and that the recurring dreams he had showed a different blonde. If it turned out that he was wrong, and that Naruto wasn't who he knew he was, then he would be able to be around him all the time, without feeling this way.  
Because he knew that if this continued for much longer, he wouldn't be able to hide it. They would find out, and he would have to go back.  
That was what he wanted least of all.  
So he had to do something. Something that would make the pain stop.  
Something that could take his mind off of what was gnawing at his insides.  
He knew...  
He knew how it could be done, and he knew he had to go through with it. But that meant he had to do it soon...

When he fell asleep he dreamt again; the same dream.  
Of voices that yelled and screamed.  
Of hands that seemed so gentle, and then turned traitorous, like the voices that came with them.  
He dreamt of rain and setting suns, and a smile that had faded over the years, but now was crystal clear in his mind.  
It spun inside of his mind; a web of distant memories that seemed to want to consume all of him, until there was nothing left but an emotionless shell. And it repeated itself, like so many times before.

He awoke, as the first rays of sun shone through the foliage of the trees outside.  
And he knew.  
"I've got to do it today."

* * *

"There he is!" Sakura chirped, "Sasuke-kun! We're over here!"

The raven haired teen started walking towards them. Like the other boys in their group he was dressed fairly casually, in contrast to the girls, who were all dressed up in their yukatas.

"I'm so glad you could make it!" Ino said, smiling as sweet as she could, while competing with Sakura over who could look shyer and more ladylike or whatever.  
They were no match for Hinata though, who was blushing scarlet, and seemed to just want to sink into the earth. Though Sasuke hardly noticed the girls, there were others who did.  
And with each group of boys that passed them, and stared a little too long at the three girls, the more uncomfortable the Hyuuga seemed to feel.  
"Come on Sasuke-kun, sit down," Sakura took his hand.  
Ino quickly grabbed the other.  
Sasuke frowned.

"You know, most guys would be thrilled to have girls like these pamper them," Kiba pointed out when Sasuke sat down, squeezed in between the two girls.  
Akamaru 'arf'ed, as if he was agreeing with his owner.  
Sasuke just glared at him.  
"If I didn't know better I'd think you weren't into girls at all..." the brunette continued suggestively  
"Tch," Shikamaru reached for his soda can, "It's more likely that he's asexual than anything else."  
Sasuke ignored them both, "Why are we here?" he asked instead, "To watch flowers? I have sakura trees in my backyard. If I wanted to look at pink flowers I'd just look out the window."  
"You're not romantic at all!" Sakura nudged him, "It's all about the atmosphere!"  
Sasuke did not look impressed.  
"And about spending time with people that matter to you!"  
"And about good food and fun!"  
"And drunks, trash floating everywhere and a complete waste of time."  
"Sasuke! Don't be such a killjoy!"  
"I _am_ a killjoy."

Someone sitting a few feet away had brought a radio; soft, light summer songs filled the air.  
Now and then a cool breeze would blow, and pink petals rained down on them.  
Although having experienced it at least once every year, it was always just as breathtaking and magical as the first time they noticed this phenomenon as kids.  
Around them gasps and excited cheers joined in with the tunes on the radio.

Now and then Naruto picked up his phone and called Gaara.  
Usually he just said _"Forget it."_ and hung up. But after the tenth call, Gaara had turned off his phone completely.

"He's not coming?"  
"Nah, I didn't count on it anyway," Naruto said, sighing, "Things like this aren't for him anyway..."  
"Things like this aren't for me either," Sasuke reminded them, "But no one seems to care."  
He was ignored.

A new song streamed from the radio.  
"That band," Shino said, "They're holding a free concert at the square after the Hanami, we should go."  
"Yeah! We should!"  
"I'm in! What about you Sasuke?"  
"I've come here, that's enough. I'm gonna head home soon."  
"Already?! But it's only nine thirty!"  
"Yeah, stay a little longer!"  
"Sorry," Sasuke stood, "I'm tired. And I've spent enough hours watching flowers."  
"But, we were having fun!"  
"Everything comes to an end," Sasuke said, turning to leave.

He was held back by a tug to his sweater. When he turned, he looked straight into Naruto's eyes. "Sasuke, stay."  
"Sorry." he started walking again.  
"What's wrong with you?!" Naruto asked. "I thought... why are you acting like this? Are you in a bad mood or something?"  
Sasuke sighed, jerking his arm loose from Naruto's grip. "Fine, since you're so persistent. I've got something I want to talk to you about anyway."  
Naruto gave him a quizzical look.  
"Can we go somewhere?" Sasuke asked.  
"Yeah...how about the bridge?"  
Sasuke nodded. "Alright."

Naruto turned to the others. "We'll be back soon."  
Sasuke scowled at him.  
"I think..."

They reached the bridge. It was in a secluded part of the park. Initially it would have been ideal for sakura viewing, but no one had ever bothered to put up any kind of lighting, so it was too dark for anyone to sit there. Other than perhaps kids that were too young to drink, and were trying to avoid being spotted.

But right now, the area around the bridge was completely abandoned.

"What's wrong with you today Sasuke?!" Naruto asked again, "You've been in a terrible mood since you arrived! I thought you were looking forward to this?!"  
"Well, I wasn't," Sasuke snapped.  
"It seemed like it yesterday."  
"That was yesterday."  
"So what's different today?"  
"Everything, ok?"  
"Sasuke..." Naruto's voice faded.  
The raven glared at him.  
"Look, I just want to talk to you."  
"Ok," the blonde nodded, "I want to talk to you too."  
"No. I need to say this," Sasuke leaned on the wooden railing, "Just...let me talk, okay Naruto?"  
"Fine, then talk," Naruto replied. He waited. Tried to prepare himself.  
He had a feeling he knew what was coming.  
But Sasuke didn't say a word.  
"Sasuke?"  
The Uchiha still didn't reply. He was leaning on the railing, staring down into the river. Something was wrong.  
"Sasuke? What's wrong?"  
"I...you wouldn't get it," Sasuke's voice was stern and cold.  
"Wouldn't get what?"  
"Everything!" the raven snapped. "Just like you couldn't get it into your head that I didn't want to be here! Like you and the others don't understand anything!"  
Naruto was taken aback by Sasuke's sudden outburst.  
"I..."  
"No. You don't get it. God! Why is this so hard to do?!" Sasuke balled up his fists.

Naruto had no idea what was going on with the other teen, but he wanted to understand. He wanted Sasuke to let him in  
"I can try..." he started, "I can try to understand. What's wrong Sasuke?"  
"Nothing! Nothing is wrong!"  
"Sasuke," Naruto said softly, placing his hand on Sasuke's back, "I can see that something is-"  
"Don't touch me." Sasuke hissed.  
Perplexed Naruto withdrew his hand, "What's wrong Sasuke? Even if I don't understand you can talk to me...We're friends, right?"  
Sasuke turned around abruptly, "No," he said. His voice was ice cold.  
"What?" Naruto was confused.  
"Get this into your head, Naruto; we are _not_ friends."

The blonde stared at the raven.  
A gust of wind swept through the air, and sent pink flowers raining down over them.  
And then, Sasuke said it. His voice was harsh.  
Harsh and cold.  
"I am **not** your fucking friend, Naruto!" and then he turned on his heel and left.

Naruto was left standing on the bridge. He was confused.

A thousand thoughts clouded his mind. He kept seeing everything that had happened during the last week; and how he and Sasuke had been talking to each other. Like old friends. He could hear both of their voices when they insulted and teased each other. And he heard Sasuke's laugh. That had all been real. So why would Sasuke pull him aside to tell him something like that?

For a brief moment he remembered his little panic attack earlier this week, and went cold.  
Had he been right?  
He didn't want to think about it.  
For a long time he just stood there. He had no idea what he was going to do.  
There had been pain in Sasuke's eyes. He saw it clearer now that Sasuke was gone.  
A pain that somehow had been transferred to Naruto, and had planted itself in his chest.  
He couldn't go back to the others, he knew that much.  
He didn't want to. It just felt...wrong.  
He didn't want to do anything. Apart from finding Sasuke.

He wanted to find Sasuke and ask him what the hell was going on inside of that screwed up head of his.  
But that's not what he did.  
Instead he walked in the opposite direction, and started heading home.  
When he was halfway there his phone rang.  
It was Sakura.

"Yeah?" Naruto flipped it open.  
_"Where are you?"  
_"Listen, Sakura, I'm not feeling well. I'm on my way home."  
_"Not feeling well? What about the concert?"  
_"I'm not up to it. Sorry."  
_"Naruto...You sound weird, are you ok?"  
_"Yeah. Don't worry."  
_"Did something happen with you and Sasuke-kun?" _she asked.  
"No. He left a while ago."  
_"Oh..."_ she sounded disappointed.  
"Look, you guys have fun tonight, ok? Tell everyone I had a good time."  
_"I will, I hope you feel better."  
_"Thanks. I'll see you guys on Monday."  
_"Alright, take care of yourself. Good night."  
_"Bye."

He stuffed his phone in his pocket.  
"God damn it Sasuke-teme!"

* * *

"Naruto? You're kinda quiet. Is something wrong?" Temari, Gaara's sister eyed him from the other end of the table.  
"I'm just tired," he replied quietly.  
"He's been like that since he came home from the Hanami last night," Gaara explained. "I think he was turned down by a girl or something."  
"Spare me your theories," Naruto rolled his eyes, "I'm tired, is that a crime?"  
"No. Jeez. You're moodier than me!" Gaara said, shoving a spoonful of cream coated cake into his mouth.

Naruto knew this had been a mistake. Why on earth did he have to go and promise Gaara he'd come with him to his brother's birthday dinner?  
Apart from having promised weeks ago, obviously.  
He should've lied and said he was sick or something, although Gaara would never have fallen for it.  
And now he was sitting here, staring at the cake, bringing down everyone's moods. Rather than serving up quick lines and jokes, he was quiet and withdrawn.  
It was bad, he realized, when Gaara was more talkative than he was.

"Leave the kid alone," Kankurou said, "He had a bad day. It happens to all of us."  
"Heh, listen to the guy who grew up overnight," Gaara snickered.  
"Very funny squirt." the brunette glared at his brother.

Naruto remained fairly quiet throughout the afternoon, whilst Temari and Kankurou asked the mandatory questions, such as "How's your studying going?", "Are you behaving?" and "What about therapy? Are you making progress?"  
To which Gaara would reply in single syllables, up until the therapy question where he would go into an endless rant about how lame it was that he still had to see a shrink when he was doing perfectly fine.  
"You can't make any progress when there is nothing wrong with you!" he announced. "I wish people would just realize that already!"  
The conversation went on, Naruto barely following.

When it was finally over, and they could go home, Naruto was relieved.  
Up until Gaara started questioning him that was:  
"Ok, what did he do this time?"  
"Who?" Naruto wasn't following.  
"Who? Sasuke of course!"  
"Why do you think it has anything to do with Sasuke!?"  
"Because," Gaara slid his hands into his pockets, "Every time you've been in a bad mood these past months, Sasuke has somehow been involved."  
"You don't know that."  
"Yes I do. As I've said before, you have a loud mouth, and you talk in your sleep."  
Naruto's face flushed. "He's just...being a bastard."  
"He's being Sasuke." Gaara corrected, "Honestly Naruto, I don't understand why you bother so much with this guy."  
"Neither do I..." Naruto sighed. "I was just trying to be including you know...But he's so...so hopeless!"  
"So you say."

Naruto frowned.

"Give it time," Gaara offered his advice, "It's one thing I've learned from watching you rant over Sasuke lately; there's no need to get all worked up, 'cos he's bound to change one eighty again tomorrow."  
_"I don't know about that..."_ Naruto sighed again.  
"Jeez," Gaara shook his head, "I don't even know the guy and he's giving me a headache."  
Naruto smiled a little.

Quietly he hoped that Sasuke would have gotten over his little tantrum by the next day, and that they could resume where they'd left off last Friday.

That, turned out to be a bit far fetched.

* * *

"Some of you have to make new sculptures, yeah," Deidara announced as soon as the class was seated, "A few of them exploded during the firing."  
"Exploded?!"  
"Exploded, cracked, broke...whatever. That's ceramics, mm." Deidara smiled. "I prefer the term exploded. Art's a bang, yeah."  
"What a professional and technical explanation..." Jiraiya coughed.  
"Did you say something, _old man_?" Deidara snarled.  
The elder teacher didn't bother to reprimand him. When it came to art, it was impossible for Deidara to have a normal conversation.  
"Well then, your sculptures are in the room over there, be careful; lots of things in there are breakable, yeah," Deidara pointed to a door, "If you don't find yours, it's probably broken, and you'll have to make a new one. But that's just fun yeah?" he said cheerfully, "The rest of you will be glazing your sculptures, mm."

Naruto was blocking out Deidara's voice, while surveying the classroom for the sixtieth time yet. Sasuke was nowhere to be seen, and it was already fifth period.  
"Naruto. Are you listening?"  
He jerked his head up, staring into Deidara's azure eyes, "Explosion, art is a bang, ceramics, glazing. Get it," he repeated.  
"Alright, good," Deidara clapped his hands. "Get to work everyone."

"I wonder where Sasuke-kun is..." Naruto overheard the conversation between Ino and Sakura.  
"At home obviously," he replied sourly.  
"Naruto...Are you ok?"  
God, how sick he was of hearing people asking him that lately!  
He didn't reply.  
It was almost a relief to find out that his sculpture hadn't survived the firing, and that he had to start over. At least that meant he got to take his aggression out on something.

When Deidara passed him as he was slapping the lump of clay against the table, he heard him saying something along the lines of "Such enthusiasm!", but he didn't even bother to roll his eyes at the nutcase.  
_"You'd better show up tomorrow, Sasuke-teme!"_ he growled inwardly, _"I want to talk to you!" _

Alas, Sasuke didn't show up the next day.  
Or the next.  
In fact, Sasuke didn't show up until Friday, during last period.  
He handed Iruka a note, to which the teacher nodded, before Sasuke left the classroom again.  
Naruto felt like chasing him down the hall, but when he stood, Iruka promptly told him to get back in his seat. He muttered something, but sat back down.

It was to become Monday before Naruto finally had a chance to talk to Sasuke.  
When final period; Japanese Literature was over, Kakashi asked Sasuke to stay behind.  
And so, Naruto decided to do the same.  
For twenty minutes he waited for Sasuke outside the classroom door.

Finally, the raven came out into the hall.  
He walked straight past Naruto, as if he was air.  
"Sasuke!" Naruto called after him down the hall.  
Sasuke didn't as much as turn to look at him.  
"God damn it Sasuke! I want to talk to you!"  
No response of any kind.  
Naruto balled up his fists and chased after him.

He reached him right before they came to the staircase, and pushed him against the wall.  
"Don't ignore me!" he ground out.  
"I don't have anything to say to you," Sasuke said calmly, freeing himself from Naruto's grip.  
"But I have something to say to you!"  
"Yeah?" Sasuke arched an elegant eyebrow.  
"What the hell was all that crap you said on Saturday?!"  
Sasuke stared defiantly at him.  
"What is wrong with you!?"  
"What's wrong with me? I'm not the one screaming in the hallway..." Sasuke was so calm it was sickening. He was so unlike himself, and yet so alike himself.  
"You don't just decide that you're not someone's friend anymore!" Naruto shouted angrily.

Actually, he had no idea why he was so angry.  
Sasuke was Sasuke, and Sasuke was weird. He was the kind of guy who said completely obscene things and meant them, for no particular reason. The kind of guy who could make up his mind in one instant, and change it in another.  
And Naruto knew all of this.  
It was just as present in the Uchiha now as it had been before, but now there was something else in the mix; indifference, spite and maybe even hate?  
Or perhaps it was fear?

And maybe Naruto was so upset because of what he'd thought Sasuke was going to say that day? Because he had thought that once they had talked about their fellow past, then he would be able to sleep well, and instead Sasuke had dropped this bomb on him, and he'd lost even more sleep as a result of it.  
That had to be it; he was angry because Sasuke was so confusing and so harsh.  
Because he knew that the things Sasuke said on the bridge were things that were a part of a much larger picture. A picture that Sasuke was didn't want to show to Naruto, but that he could, if they just talked. And Sasuke refused to do that as well.

"You don't do that Sasuke." Naruto hissed. "Because it takes two to be friends."  
Sasuke pushed him away, and started heading down the stairs, "Then I guess we were never friends."  
It was like a dagger through Naruto's chest. Even though he had expected it.  
It hurt so much because...  
"I know that you know!" he called down the staircase after Sasuke.  
The door slammed in the floor beneath them.

"Heartbreaking..."  
Naruto spun around to see Sai, sitting in the stairs, one flight above him.  
"I don't have time for you now," Naruto snarled.  
"Too bad," Sai smiled poisonously, "I saw it all. So, what's the story? What kind of relationship is it that the two of you have?"  
Naruto turned his back on him.  
"Could it be that you're cheating on Red?" Sai smirked.  
Naruto turned around, staring daggers at him, "Shut the fuck up Sai!!"  
The other boy laughed. The sound echoed in the staircase. And Naruto knew that he had to get out of there, before he went insane.

When he came out into the parking lot, Sasuke's car was gone.  
No surprise there.  
Uchiha Sasuke, master of running away...  
Naruto mentally smacked himself. It wasn't as if this was something that happened on a regular basis. But somehow he was certain that it was a very typical Sasuke thing to do.

The door opened behind him. In the corner of his eye he saw Kakashi exiting the building.  
Not wanting to get caught in a tirade of questions and "what was all that ruckus about"s, Naruto swiftly made his exit though the school gates.

* * *

The rest of their group was beginning to notice that something was weird.  
Ever since the night of the Hanami, Naruto had been acing weird, and Sasuke had hardly been around.

The whole time during the first four periods, Naruto and Sasuke had been seated as far away from each other as they could. The blonde had kept glaring at the Uchiha, who in turn seemed to be going out of his way to ignore Naruto.

When lunch hour came, and Sasuke took his tray outside rather than sitting with the rest of them, the questions came.  
"Why isn't Sasuke-kun sitting with us?"  
"He's been weird all day, don't you think?"  
"Come to think of it, so has Naruto..."  
"Naruto, do you know anything?"  
Naruto scoffed, "Sasuke is having a bad...life," he stood, picking up his tray, "Either that, or it's his time of the month. I dunno."  
"Did something happen...?"  
"Ask him, he's the one being an asshole." and with that Naruto exited the cafeteria.

He wondered for a moment if he should go look for Sasuke, and strike up another attempted conversation, but decided against it. He wasn't in the mood for a screaming match.

Naruto spent all of art class glazing his lopsided attempt on a vase. Meanwhile the others, meaning those who hadn't had their sculptures go to hell, were making either simplistic aquarelle paintings, or trying their skills on the pottery wheel.

Sasuke had seemed to disappear from the face of the earth.  
Maybe it was for the best, Naruto figured. He was so tired of being pissed, it was a relief not to have to look at his indifferent face all day.  
And yet, he wondered, without wanting to, what was hiding behind that stone mask.

Kakashi's class went on as usual; the teacher was late, presented a lame excuse, and then set them to do an essay on some famous dead guy and how his work had affected the evolution of Literature in Japan.  
In other words a complete yawn.

* * *

Days passed.  
Another week passed.  
Sasuke ignored Naruto.

Naruto ignored him back, but the occasional fit of anger made him seek out the other boy, trying to make him talk. But it seemed to be useless; Sasuke, who hated crowds and socializing, began hanging around places where there always were a lot of people, and since Naruto didn't know how a conversation between the two of them could turn out, he never dared go over to him in those places. There was one thing he didn't need right now, and that was some lame rumor about the two of them having a love spat or whatever.

If Naruto in fact caught Sasuke off guard for a moment, and there was only the two of them, things usually had two outcomes; him trying to talk, eventually starting to yell in frustration. Or Sasuke telling him to get lost and leave him alone, only to flee the scene himself and leave Naruto cursing him out loud.

June was coming to an end.  
July was starting. In three weeks summer vacation would start, and that meant that they had to sort things out _now_, or they wouldn't get a chance to talk until the end of August. Not that there were many of those chances now either...

By now, the general weirdness in Naruto and Sasuke's behaviors was starting to affect everyone else; Naruto was in a constant bad, or at best, irritated mood, which resulted in him and Gaara rubbing each other the wrong way pretty much all the time. Gaara tried to drag out of Naruto what was bothering him, which in turn pissed off the blonde who just wanted to be left alone, and that resulted in Gaara starting to brood and sulk as well.

Ino and Sakura pretty much did nothing but whine about how anti-social Sasuke was acting. If not they were also a part of the 'what's wrong Naruto' committee.  
Shikamaru was sick and tired of the whole thing, as was Kiba.  
Chouji had stopped trying to understand what was going on altogether, as no one ever presented a real answer. Shino was quiet as always, but perhaps the one who understood the most. Hinata...was Hinata, quiet and meek, occasionally proposing something that she hoped could help somehow.

And in the end, Naruto was so sick of it all he almost forgot why he was so angry in the first place.  
It felt like it was ages since he and Sasuke had been in his car, talking and laughing.  
It felt like it was ages since they stood on the bridge and Sasuke suddenly changed.  
And as if things weren't bad enough already... they were about to take a turn for the worse, or, at least more confusing.

* * *

With summer vacation, and the end of the term drawing close, all the teachers were pretty much hysterical, trying to get through the curriculum syllabus and at the same time preparations for the exams in their respective classes.  
Most of the time they didn't even have anyone to supervise them.  
The class would come to an empty classroom with a blackboard that read "Study for the exam."  
Or, the teacher would stop by to give them something to do and then disappear again.

"Alright," Kotetsu said, standing before the class, "Kakashi-sensei isn't here,"  
"Big surprise..." Izumo mumbled.  
"So, he has asked us to look after you for these two periods."  
"Don't you have classes?" someone asked.  
"Yes, and no. We're in the student council, we get away with lots of things, and we didn't have a teacher either."  
"Anyway," Izumo began, "I know that you would all prefer to spend these two periods studying for the exam..."  
"Yeah right!"  
"Shut up," Kotetsu growled.  
"But," Izumo continued. "Since we're here, and we have something to discuss with you all, we've decided to turn this into a study hour, and a class meeting. Stop groaning! You'll _like_ this!"  
"The thing is, the student council are planning the annual End of Semester Dance, and we just wanted to inform you of location, date and so on."  
The students seemed to cheer up a bit.  
A dance was exactly what they needed when the exams were done, "When will it be?"  
"July sixteenth, at the Youth Center."  
Loud cheers broke out in the classrooms.  
"The event will be alcohol free of course." Kotetsu mimicked Tsunande's voice, "Jeez, you'd think that old sake-addict would loosen up a l-"  
"That's enough," Izumo elbowed him in the ribs.  
"Ow!"  
"Let me do the talking alright?" the more composed of the two said. Those sitting nearest to them could see his hand gently brushing over Kotetsu's, a slight pink shade tinting his cheeks.  
"Fine," Kotetsu plopped down on the teacher's chair.  
"Basically, we're talking to every class, to find out what kind food you guys want to be served, and if you'd like a theme party and so on... Any suggestions?"  
Hands flew into the air.

Naruto looked around. A dance. Great. More cheeriness.  
He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so strongly against something. But he knew that he'd had enough social events lately.  
The only person who was less enthusiastic than him it seemed, was Sasuke. Oh, how surprising.

Once the others started making suggestions and the class burst into discussion with the two older students making frantic notes of what was being said, he stood, grabbed his bag and disappeared through the door.  
Naruto glared at him, but the look was not returned.

When Kotetsu and Izumo decided they were happy with the result of the brainstorming, they took their leave, and sent the class home as well. It was only fifteen minutes earlier than usual, but Naruto was glad to be out of there quickly.

He rushed down the hall, without waiting for any of his friends.  
All he wanted was to get home and busy himself with chores, or maybe play some games with the kids. Anything to rid him of his foul mood, or at least to stop him from thinking about the current situation all the time.

He got as far as the gate.  
And then he ran into Sai.  
"What do you want?" he sighed.  
"Bad mood today Uzumaki?"  
"God, just say whatever it is you want to say, and get out of my face."  
"Fine." Sai smiled, "You're still on bad terms with Uchiha?"  
"No," Naruto said sarcastically, "We're best friends."  
He rolled his eyes, and tried to get past the raven.  
"I take it he's not taking you to the dance then."  
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Naruto glared at him.  
"Just that it's sad that the two of you were to break up right before such an event," Sai teased.  
"I know what you're trying to do," Naruto growled, "And it's not working. I couldn't care less what kind of twisted idea you've got, because it's wrong. Now please, leave me alone."  
"I don't think so. I think that there's more to it..."  
"Whatever. Save it for someone who cares."  
"Maybe I will..."  
Naruto wanted to punch Sai's lights out, but instead he said: "What? You're gonna start spreading rumors about me and Sasuke-bastard? Good luck, 'cos no one will listen."  
"I don't know about that... They've grown far too accepting when it comes to you _Uzumaki_, and I think we need a little something to bring your reputation back on track."  
The blonde stared daggers at his classmate.

He turned to leave, Sai held him back.  
Naruto responded by grabbing his arms, and pushing him hard back against the gate, knocking the air out of him.  
"Screw you Sai!"

* * *

"What was that about?"  
"What do you care?" Sai stared at Sasuke, who'd appeared out of nowhere.  
Naruto was already halfway up the street, and he wasn't looking back. Sai secretly wished him to be run over by a truck.  
"I care." the Uchiha replied, in an ice cold tone.

* * *

"Iruka-sensei!? Aren't you in the wrong classroom?"  
It was Tuesday. And for some reason their Social studies teacher was standing before them, when their schedule clearly read 'Math'.  
Iruka tried to explain. "Due to the upcoming exams, A.Math and Math will be the same class from now on, so everyone gets a walkthrough of the stuff you should know for the exam. Things are a bit hectic right now, so I'm filling in for..." he scratched his head frantically, "Uh...For...Who is your math teacher again?!"  
"Ebisu-sensei," Naruto mumbled.  
"That would be A.Math, right?"  
"Ibiki teaches regular math," Sakura said.  
Iruka swallowed, "Oh...my...And you're still alive...? Anyway, I'm filling in for the two of them..."

Sai turned up during recess.  
His left eye was swollen and purple. When he brushed past Naruto on his way into the locker room, he glared hatefully at the blonde.  
The two of them were both a little late for gymclass, and so there was no one else in the locker room.  
"What-"  
"The hell happened to my face?" Sai finished his sentence sternly, "Oh, I'll tell you."  
His dark eyes dug into Naruto's.  
"Your little boyfriend happened."  
"Huh?"  
"I guess he's not very good with words, and this is his way of telling me to leave you alone." he paused. "Come to think of it, I think he did say that..."  
Naruto was left speechless in the empty locker room, staring at the door to the gym, where Sai had walked out.

Five minutes later, he'd changed, and joined the others in the gym. He sat down next to Sakura on the bench.

"You're late, Naruto!" Gai bellowed.  
"Yeah. Sorry."  
"Normally I'd punish you with a hundred push ups or so...But since we're waiting for one more person...I'll let it slip."  
"But...The whole class is here..." Ino said, looking around.  
"Ah yes, but as you probably know, the seniors have to do work experience, and a few of the students have been placed as teacher's assistants this year."  
"Oh God..." Sakura hid her face in her hands.  
"What?" Naruto turned to her.  
"Just wait..."

Moments later the door was kicked in, and a young boy with bowl cut hair, dressed in a green spandex suit, identical to the one Gai was wearing entered the gym.

"Lee!" the teacher beamed.  
"Oh God..." Sakura said again.  
"Gai-sensei!" Lee beamed back. "You haven't started without me?!"  
"Of course not!" Gai turned to the others. "This is Lee, he'll be working with sports of various kinds this year, so I thought he could help out during gym class as well."  
"It's an honor!" Lee cried.  
"Lee and I have decided on some exercises together. Haven't we?"  
"Yes!" Lee returned the teacher's sparkling smile.  
"Well, tell them!"  
The boy cleared his throat. "Since the summer time is such an important time in our young lives, and one usually spends it with ones friends, we have decided on an exercise that has to do with trust."  
"Very good Lee!" Gai slapped the boy on his back. "Well then, let's demonstrate! Any volunteers?"

Naruto noticed how Sakura pressed closer to the wall, as if trying to make herself invisible.  
But it was too late; Lee's eyes surveyed his lower-classmates, and his eyes came to rest upon the pink haired girl.  
"Sakura-san!" he exclaimed, "Would you do me the honor and allow me to use you for the demonstration?!"  
"Lee-san..." she stuttered, "I don't think..."  
"Great!" the elder grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet, dragging her out on the floor.  
"Alright Sakura," Gai started, "I want you to stand in front of Lee, and then let yourself fall back. Just close your eyes. And fall."  
"I..." she stuttered.  
"Don't worry, Lee will catch you!"  
"Of course I will! I would never let you get hurt!"

Naruto failed to hold back the smile; now he saw why Sakura was so bothered by the situation. Lee seemed to be crazy over her, and she seemed _very_ uncomfortable. Not so much because he obviously liked her, but probably because he had no problem showing it in front of her entire class. He couldn't help but laugh with the others.

"Fine..." the girl finally agreed, and let herself fall back into Lee's arms.  
The boy couldn't stop grinning.  
"GREAT!" Gai boomed.  
And then it came, the inevitable.

"I want you to pair up as you did during the crouch exercises, and do this. Afterwards we'll go outside. I thought we'd do a little marathon running!" he seemed awfully pleased.  
Gai's voice was just a muffled sound after that. As was Lee's "But, I wanna team up with Sakura!"  
"Lee, you're in charge now. You're not supposed to pair up with anyone."  
"Yeah but..." he whined.  
Sakura blushed ten shades of scarlet. She didn't _need_ this attention in front of everyone!

And Naruto... he didn't catch any of it.  
He looked over at Sasuke and groaned.  
"_Why?!"_

"Let's just do this," Sasuke muttered as the two of them stood facing each other, defiant gazes burning into one another.  
Naruto opened his mouth to say something, but Sasuke cut him off before he got started; "Talking has nothing to do with the exercise."  
The Uchiha held out his arms, gesturing for Naruto to fall.  
Naruto fell, Sasuke caught him, and they repeated the exercise.  
They were supposed to fall twenty times each. But after the seventh fall, Naruto had enough; just as he was leaning backwards he snarled. "Well you know what?! That doesn't matter, because we need to talk!"  
In a fit of annoyance, Sasuke withdrew his hands. "I have nothing to talk to you about." he muttered.  
Naruto wasn't aware of Sasuke's sudden change in position, and let himself fall the eight time, only to crash to the floor.

"You're supposed to catch me, bastard!"  
"You're supposed to pay attention." Sasuke retorted, crossing his arms over his chest.  
Naruto was sure that had this happened a few weeks ago, they would've laughed.  
Laugh and joke about it.  
Now, that was so unthinkable that it was more likely that a pig would fly in through Naruto's window the next morning and ask him if he wanted bacon for breakfast.  
After that incident, things between them were even more strained.

Naruto would fall back into Sasuke's arms. And they would catch him. Over and over, until they switched.  
Naruto was the one to catch now, never fumbling. But he pushed Sasuke harder than necessary when was supposed to help him back on his feet.  
The tension in the air around them seemed to create a barrier.

And when Gai and Lee announced it was time to go outside, the two of them dawdled, staying behind.  
The door to the gym slammed as the last student exited. Sasuke and Naruto were left alone.  
And that, was the chance Naruto had been waiting for.

When Sasuke aimed for the door, the blonde grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him back. "No!" he said firmly, "Not this time!"  
Sasuke spun around. Naruto's grip on his wrist tightened. "What the hell is it you want from me Uzumaki?!"  
"What do _I_ want?!" Naruto echoed, "_You're_ the one who goes from cold and distant to suddenly wanting to be friends, only to turn back into an antisocial bastard!"  
Sasuke didn't reply. He stared at Naruto, cobalt eyes burning him.  
"I just want to know what the hell happened at the Hanami!"  
"Isn't that pretty clear already?"  
"No! It's not! I want to know why you said those things!"  
"Because I meant them, obviously!"  
"Well if you did...How do you explain Sai, huh?!"  
"What?" Sasuke wasn't following.  
"I don't get you!" Naruto shrilled, "You push me away, and yet you go around acting all hero-like!?"  
"Who said it had anything to do with you?"  
"Sai did!"  
"And since when do you listen to him?"  
Naruto scoffed, "Why can't you just answer a simple question?!"  
"Fine," Sasuke jerked his hand loose. "I punched him because of what he said about you."  
He said it so casually. As if it was perfectly normal for him to do such a thing.  
"Why the hell would you do that?!"  
"Because you don't do it!"  
"Huh?" it was Naruto's turn to fall out.  
"Everywhere you go, they talk about you! I don't understand how you just let them!?"  
"I don't. But it doesn't matter what I do, and it doesn't matter, because I don't care."  
"You should care!"  
"Why?"  
"Because I can't stand to see the way they treat you!" Sasuke yelled.  
"See?! There you go again!" Naruto yelled back, "You act like you want to defend and protect me! But you know what? The person who's the worst...that's _you_ Sasuke."  
He spat the words at the raven.  
"You act like my friend, and then you push me away, but you want to play the hero. You have your own set of rules, so you think you can step all over everyone else. What did I do, huh?!" he shrilled, "What the hell did I ever do?!"

It came as a shock when Sasuke pushed him back against the wall.  
"You want to know what you did?" the raven hissed, grabbing his wrists, holding him in place.  
Naruto stared into Sasuke's face. He tried to read his expression, but it was impossible.  
The grip around his wrists tightened. Sasuke's eyes narrowed.  
Naruto grit his teeth.  
"Yes," he uttered quietly, "I want to know what I did."  
"Very well," Sasuke's lips curved slightly. But he wasn't amused, that much was for certain. Something flashed in his eyes. A brief glint of something that looked like remorse, or suffering.  
"Well?" Naruto growled impatiently. "Say it already!"  
"You made me remember," Sasuke's voice was so low, it was almost just a whisper, "And you made me hate you."  
"You...remember?" Naruto croaked.

He'd known.  
But to hear him say it...  
Sasuke gave a barely there nod.  
And before he'd had time to realize what went through his mind, he had pressed the blonde harder against the wall, and moved even closer to him.  
"Sasuke, I..." he was cut off.  
Naruto's eyes widened in shock, as Sasuke's lips suddenly pressed against his own.  
His first reaction was to push the raven away, but he couldn't make himself do it.

He remained like this; with the cold wall pressing against his back, and his nails digging into Sasuke's hands, which were still holding him firmly in place.  
Sasuke's lips were on his, and he didn't resist them. Nor did he return the gesture.  
He stood frozen, trying to take in what was going on, trying to understand.  
And he wondered why Sasuke's lips were so soft, when the kiss was so hard.

When Sasuke finally pulled back, Naruto realized that it couldn't possibly have lasted longer than a few seconds. Still, it had felt like so much longer.  
He stared at Sasuke.  
He couldn't read him now either. And whatever sympathy or worry or understanding that had welled up in him moments before was now gone.  
"What the hell was that?!" he demanded, his voice so desperate it was almost breaking.  
Sasuke opened his mouth, but failed to speak, as the door to the gym was flung open.

"What are you two still doing here?!" Lee wondered. "Gai-sensei is looking for you!"  
Neither of the two answered.  
The three of them stood there, looking at each other.  
"Did I...interrupt something?" Lee finally asked awkwardly.  
"Forget about it," Naruto threw one last glance at Sasuke and stomped out of the gym.  
Lee and Sasuke were left behind, staring after him.  
"What was that all about?" Lee asked.

Sasuke said nothing.

* * *

_TBC_

[Long chapter is looooong x.x I considered cutting it, and using the last half in chapter 9, but that would basically leave you guys at the same place as last time, and I didn't want that... Sooo...yeah. Please tell me what you think!


	9. Shichigatsu

**Author's Note:**

Firstly you guys, I'd like to apologize for bringing you this chapter so late: FF was refusing to accept my document and it didn't matter how many times I changed the document format or tried to upload it from a different computer. I've been trying to figure it out for almost a month... So THANK YOU RAZ for helping me out!  
From here on the chapters should be on time, at least up until chapter 14, because that's how many chapters I've written so far...

This is a looong chapter! But That's no biggie is it? When I wrote this I wrote all night, went to bed at 10.15 am and woke up again two hours later.  
Basically YotF is killing me, but I'm loving it. Hopefully you'll all do the same.

Chapter ten might be a bit slow (though at this speed I wouldn't trust that statement), as I'm having some issues with the plot's evolution. But it'll be fine.  
I put alot into this, so please review and tell me what you think!

Also, I am no expert on medicines for PTSD or depression, but Wikipedia is a good friend to have! 3 It also has a nice list of side effects! -

Nyaa, Pervy!Genma is fun to write!

Warnings for this chapter:  
Yaoi! Finally, eh?  
Angst and fluff.

**Shichigatsu:**

What the hell had just happened?!  
Naruto leaned his forehead on the cool mirror above the sink in the bathroom.  
"God damn it Sasuke..." he mumbled. "What the hell was that?!"  
Sasuke had kissed him.  
After all the shit that had happened these last weeks, he'd _kissed_ him!  
Naruto could feel a headache coming on.  
He didn't feel like getting back to class.

So he just threw a sweater on over his t-shirt, grabbed his bag and made for the exit.  
With his head full of questions, he strode across the school yard.  
"Hey! Uzumaki!"  
He was not in the mood.  
Eyebrow twitching, he turned around and sighed. "What do you want?"  
He knew the brunette that was standing before him, only by name and reputation, but the elder obviously had business with him.  
"I'm supposed to go home with you." Neji said.

Sasuke had snuck up to the roof. There was never anyone up here during classes, so he could enjoy his privacy.  
He could hear his classmates though; they were on the other side of the building running laps around the tracks the school had invested in on Gai's insist.  
"God damn it!" he kicked the fence that surrounded the roof top. And then sank down on the concrete, hands fisting in his own hair.  
What the hell was he doing?  
If Lee hadn't walked into that gym...What would've happened? What _could_ have happened?  
Judging by the look on Naruto's face it wouldn't have been pretty.  
_"What did you expect him to look like? You kissed him!" _  
He wanted to tell that annoying voice in his head that he hadn't intended to. But that would be a lie. He had meant to kiss Naruto.  
In the middle of all his anger, frustration and insecurity, the only thing that was clear in his mind at that moment, had been that he wanted to taste those lips.  
He'd wanted to kiss Naruto.  
"Talk about bad timing..." he muttered, letting one hand fall down at his side.  
Why did he have to go and do it now of all times though?!  
What kind of idiot forces someone up against the wall, yells at them, tells them they hate them and then kisses them?!  
He did.  
Uchiha Sasuke, king of idiots.  
The only explanation that was even remotely close to believable was that while he had been spewing oaths and curses over the one person who might understand him, there had been something inside of him that knew how wrong it was.  
Naruto hadn't done anything wrong. If someone was in the wrong, it was him.  
Something inside of him had been screaming for him to stop acting this way. Something in him longed so desperately for the pain and confusion to stop. And this something was what made him do what he suspected he'd wanted to do all along. So, he had kissed him.

At least he had managed to do something right; he'd let Naruto know. Or at least let him on.  
Their shared past was out in the open, in a shadowy kind of way...  
But what did that help, when he was unable to have a normal conversation with the blonde?  
Sasuke sighed heavily.  
Why was it that he had to fall for the same person he hated?  
And why did he have to hate him so much?  
When was it he had fallen for Naruto? And why did he have to realize it at the moment he did?!

The truth was that he had known.  
Whenever he was around Naruto lately; after the blonde had pretty much forced his friendship onto him; he'd have to concentrate not to stare too long into those deep blue eyes, or at his full lips... During their game of DDR, whenever they went out with the group eating, and...When Naruto'd been on his back, his arms resting around his neck.  
He'd ignored it as best he could though, pretended like there was nothing there. He didn't want to realize that the loyalty and affection that still resided in him from years ago, had blossomed into something more.

He needed to talk to Naruto, he realized.  
He _had_ to. If he could just explain...

He stood, but as he peeked through the fence and down into the school yard, he could clearly see the blonde leaving. Walking side by side with a dark haired boy he recognized as Hyuuga Neji, some teenage heart throb from the class over them.  
His nails dug into his palms, but he didn't notice.  
Turning on his heel, he decided to skip the rest of the day and go home.  
He didn't feel well.

* * *

"So...You're gonna _work_ at the orphanage?" Naruto asked, confused.  
"Yeah... Work experience and all that..." two short beeps came as Neji unlocked his car.  
Naruto got in, slightly uncomfortable.  
He wished he could be alone right now, but apparently, there was no way to try to explain that to the older teen, and besides, what was he going to say?  
"Tenten was going to show me where it was, but she got held up with a meeting. She's in the arrangement committee for the dance..." the Hyuuga informed him.  
Naruto nodded quietly.  
While pretending to listen to the boy next to him, he was wondering whether or not he should tell Gaara. He wanted to. He knew that he couldn't keep this to himself.  
But he had no idea how to tell him. And it felt like if he told Gaara about how Sasuke had kissed him, he'd have to tell the entire story, something he would really like to avoid.  
"Are you listening?"  
"Sorry..." Naruto turned to look at Neji, "What?"  
"I asked you which direction we should go in." the brunette replied, sounding impatient.  
Naruto pointed it out to him, and they drove in silence.  
An uncomfortable silence that became too crushing for the talkative blonde to handle. "So...Why did you chose it?"  
"What?"  
"The orphanage."  
"Oh...We didn't choose, we were assigned by the teachers."  
"Really?" Naruto bit his lip, "I just figured since we had Lee helping out during gy-"  
"I feel for you!" Neji laughed.  
Naruto sent him a quizzical look.  
"I mean, don't get me wrong. Lee and I are good friends, but...He's a bit...over energetic, isn't he?"  
"You got that right!" Naruto smiled.  
Ok, so maybe Neji wasn't as bad as rumors wanted him to be. Then again...It wasn't as if he was hitting on him.  
Thankfully. He'd had enough of that for one day.  
Again Sasuke flooded his mind.  
"So, you and Uchiha..."  
"Don't ask." Naruto growled.  
"You're fighting?"  
"What about you? Are you and Tenten...?"  
"Do you usually ask a stranger such personal questions?"  
"No," Naruto retorted, "Do you?"  
Neji's lip curved upwards. "I get it. I won't ask."  
Why was it that everyone knew who Sasuke was?  
And why did all people talked about around Naruto have to be Sasuke?  
He frowned, and had to ask Neji to repeat yet another question.  
"I asked," said the brunette smiling, "If there is something I should know about the kids before I start helping out."  
"Weeell..." Naruto scratched his head, thinking, "Firstly, watch out for Konohamaru and his gang... There's only three of them, but they're real pranksters. And they'll get you good unless you watch yourself carefully!" he smiled, and went on to tell about how some kids would always be determined on what they wanted for breakfast, until they saw what the one next to them ate.  
He informed him on how they _did_ have a system for the laundry, it was just that no one bothered to follow it; things were bound to get chaotic anyway. Even with three washing machines. "Everyone has chores around the house," Naruto started, talking as if they were just your regular over-sized family. "Like, those of us who're older, we have to help with dinner and things like that. The kids are mostly responsible for their own mess and rooms."  
Neji nodded, turning left when Naruto gestured to.  
"You're starting today?"  
The elder teen shook his head. "No, I'm just supposed to go by and get information and introduce myself." he paused, "You're the oldest?"  
"Yeah. Then there's Gaara, he's sixteen."  
"I've heard of him."  
_"I bet you have,"_ Naruto thought, feeling real protective all of a sudden. "If you call him a psycho I'm gonna make sure you have to find a new place to gain experience."  
"Relax Uzumaki," Neji frowned, "I just said that I've heard of him. Konoha isn't that big. And I rarely listen to gossip."  
Naruto sighed. "Sorry." slightly embarrassed he rubbed his neck, "It's just...He's a little reserved and moody...And I easily get protective of him..."  
Neji nodded again. "I understand."

They parked outside the tired, but stoic building. Naruto showed Neji the way inside.  
"Baa-san!" he called out. "Neji is here!"  
Instantly the hall was full of kids, staring at the newcomer with big, curious eyes.  
"Hi," Neji said, waving slightly at the children.  
Naruto could see at once that he wasn't used to being around kids much. So most likely he'd been placed with them to gain some tolerance.  
"Who's he?" Moegi inquired.  
"He's from my school," Naruto explained, "He's supposed to work here for a while."  
"Heh," Konohamaru grinned. "Fresh meat."  
"You," Naruto grabbed the boy by the collar, "Behave."  
He turned to his senior; "Chiyo baa-san is probably down in the basement, just come into the living room and wait for her."  
Obediently the Hyuuga followed him, the kids keeping their eyes on him almost without blinking as they made their way into the living room.  
Just then, Gaara came down the stairs.  
He cast one cool glance at the teen standing next to Naruto.  
"Gaara, this is Neji." Naruto tried, well knowing that the red didn't care.  
"Hi." Neji nodded in Gaara's direction.  
Gaara mumbled something that sounded like 'hey', and then he went into the kitchen, emerging again two minutes later with a glass of water, and headed back upstairs.  
"I see what you mean..." the Hyuuga stared after the red.  
"He...doesn't care for strangers." Naruto said apologetically and fell down onto the couch, instantly being attacked by two of the kids who'd been sitting on the floor.

"Ah, so you're Hyuuga Neji!" the elderly woman exclaimed as she made her way into the living room, "Kids, go play in your rooms, we need some peace and quiet. And Naruto, please make place for others instead of taking up the entire couch by yourself!"  
The blonde rose to a sitting position.  
"Well," Chiyo started, "As you can see, they're quite the wild bunch. So you'll be having your hands full. Do you have siblings yourself?"  
Neji shook his head. "No, but I live with my uncles family. His youngest daughter is about eight... But she's very quiet." he smiled.  
"These guys most certainly aren't." the blonde remarked.  
The woman smiled at him, shaking her head. "They certainly aren't."  
Neji didn't say anything.  
"I can take it from here Naruto, I imagine you have homework?"  
"Urgh..."  
"Upstairs you go then."  
Naruto slouched, but made for the stairs. He smiled at Neji; "Good luck."  
"Thanks."

"What's he doing here?" Gaara demanded as soon as Naruto came through the door.  
"He's gonna work here."  
"Work? I hope he's not counting on getting paid."  
"No, it's for school." Naruto said, explaining it all to his friend.  
Gaara glared at him, as if it was Naruto's fault.  
"Gaara, it's not that bad!"  
"Easy for you to say, you won't have to deal with him. He's probably gonna be in dire need for a mature conversation, and since I'm the only teen here while you're at school..."  
"Don't count on it." Naruto said, "He's kinda the quiet type."  
"Like Sasuke?" Gaara was not convinced.  
"Please, let's not talk about him..."  
"Now what?!" Gaara sighed with resignation.  
"Forget it, it's not important."  
"Of course not," the red said sarcastically, "Whatever."  
"How do you know Sasuke isn't the quiet type anyway?"  
Gaara looked at his friend. "Are you kidding? He can't possibly have kept his mouth shut the way you're acting. He's got to have said _something_ to get you this pissed!"  
Naruto didn't reply. He plopped down on his bed.  
"Want to help me study?"  
Gaara stifled a yawn. "Sure, maybe it'll be what it takes for me to get some sleep..."  
Naruto smiled, making room for Gaara on the bed beside him.

Anko's narrow eyes looked at Sasuke over the edge of her clipboard.  
"Why don't you tell me what's been going on with you lately? I can see that something is troubling you."  
"It's none of your business." the angry teen replied.  
He felt like his privacy was being violated.  
Again.  
"You seem a lot more emotional lately Sasuke..."  
"And before I showed too little emotion, are you never satisfied?"  
"Tell me," Anko probed, "Are you feeling paranoid lately?"  
"Paranoid?"  
"Do you feel like...people are watching you? Like they talk about you? Like you're being followed?"  
"I know what paranoia is." Sasuke rolled his eyes, "And here's a newsflash for you; I am being watched, talked about and followed, by the people in this town who can't get enough of my past. Other than that, I'm perfectly fine."  
The woman seemed to have stopped listening to him though. "I've talked to your doctor," she said, "And we decided that maybe it's time to take you off Seroquel. At least for a while, to see how you do without the medication."  
The Uchiha stared at her. "Let's see...I had some bad years from I was six and until I was what...ten? Post traumatic stress disorder, treated with Seroquel for years, especially after the acclaimed attempted suicide, with following commitment to a mental hospital..."  
"It was a clinic, Sasuke, and it was only to make sure you didn't hurt yourself."  
Sasuke continued; "I'm done with my trauma thank you, I've been telling you all year that I want off the meds. But hey, you have to think of it yourself!"  
"Sasuke," she snarled. "Listen to me, we're only going to try it for a while, and your doctor still thinks you're a little unstable, so we're going to put you on a mild antidepressant; Alprazolam."  
Sasuke stared at the woman, dumbfounded. "I'm not even dealing with depressions!"  
"No, but you've shown tendencies to other types of convulsive behavior."  
The raven crossed his arms over his chest.  
"It's only for a few weeks. You can't be on these types of medicine for more than eight weeks anyway, or the effect will wear off. That is to say, your body will become resistant."  
"Then what the hell is the point?!" Sasuke snapped.  
"The point is to see if you'll get better-"  
"I am fine." he snarled through gritted teeth. He hated being treated like a mental patient.  
"When we take you off the Alprazolam, -"  
"Call it Xanax will you. There's no need for clinical terms, I know what you're referring to."  
Anko smiled slightly, Sasuke had always been one step ahead of her.  
"When we take you of the _Xanax_, we'll see if there's need to continue the treatment with Seroquel, and if you're lucky, you'll be free from medication altogether. Isn't that a nice thought?" Her voice was soft and kind.  
"Don't patronize me." Sasuke replied coolly. "If you think there won't be any need for further medication, then I'm gonna take that advice to heart and stop altogether right now."  
He stood from the chair.  
"I thought you would say something like that," Anko said, taking a paper bag from her purse. "So I had your prescription filled out, and got your medicines during lunch."  
She handed him the bag. "And you know I'll know if you're not taking them."  
Sasuke frowned.  
He headed for the door, clutching the bag.  
"Continue to take your Seroquel over the weekend. Start with the new ones on Monday, and make sure to read the supplement, so you're aware of the possible side effects. If you start feeling really bad, you call me straight away, and we'll decide what to do."  
Sasuke didn't bother to ask about how it would affect his exams, if he got sick. He didn't care. He knew that he would be totally unable to focus anyway.  
"I want you back here on Wednesday, to see how it's going, just in case."  
He merely nodded, and walked out the door.

The girl at the counter smiled at him.  
Sasuke walked past her, not gracing her with as much as a nod.

He stuffed the paper bag into the glove compartment when he got to his car.  
On his way back, he stopped by the store to pick up some groceries. He hadn't bothered to shop lately, and the kitchen was getting fairly empty.

He rounded the corner of the aisle that held instant dinners and canned food.  
And stared straight into Naruto's eyes.  
He froze.  
Naruto did the same.  
They hadn't as much as looked at each other since Tuesday. Given, it was partly because of the exam stress and how they were allowed to study at home, and how Sasuke's math exam wasn't until next week, while Naruto's had been this week. Today...wasn't it?  
Neither of them knew quite what to say.  
"Hi..." Naruto finally managed to mumble.  
"Hi." Sasuke replied.  
"Shopping...?" the blonde asked nervously.  
Sasuke nodded. "And you? Aren't you supposed to be having an exam?"  
"Well..." Naruto said, shrugging, "Math, you know...? Even if it's just Alternative math, and not half as hard as what the rest of you are taking..." he trailed off.  
"Oh..." Sasuke said absentmindedly, staring at Naruto's lips as the blonde turned quiet, his tongue darting out to moisten them.

They paid for their respective merchandise and made their way out of the store.  
Neither of them said a word, albeit knowing what was on the other's mind.  
"Sasuke..." Naruto finally said, his voice shaking slightly. "I...There's..."  
Sasuke knew that the blonde wanted to yell at him again. And he didn't blame him.  
"We should...talk..." he suggested.  
Naruto nodded. "Yeah..."  
"So...should I drive you home or something?"  
"No...Sasuke..." Naruto hesitated, "I...think it's best that you don't...for now..."  
"Then when are we supposed to talk?!" the Uchiha was getting frustrated.  
Whatever it was Naruto was feeling or thinking about him now, he needed to know. And he wanted to explain.  
"Later, ok?" Naruto sighed. "I've...got to study...and..." he looked at the raven, lifting his hand, as if wanting to reach out and touch Sasuke, but refrained from it, "You look really tired...It's best that we wait."  
How could he be so rational?  
Sasuke wanted to grab Naruto's wrist, when the boy turned to leave. But he didn't. The last time he'd done so it had ended in disaster.  
"Weren't you the one who said you wanted to talk to me?!" he failed to hold back.  
"I _want_ to talk just as much as you do!" Naruto spun around. "But I just _can't _right now, ok?! Jeez, just for now Sasuke, let it rest!"  
The Uchiha said nothing. He realized that he had to do as Naruto said. If he said anything more now, things would get even more screwed up.  
He needed to calm down, and let Naruto decide on when they would talk.  
Watching the fox leave the parking lot, he got in the car and drove home.

* * *

Gaara's door slid open, a slight knock disturbing the red's thoughts.  
"What?" he asked, his voice cold.  
Neji opened the door more, but remained standing in the doorway.  
"Chiyo-san asked me to tell you that they are all going out. She wondered if you were coming."  
Gaara glowered at him.  
"That's a no then..." the elder sighed, backing out of the doorway. "Sorry to disturb you."  
He turned, and went back down the stairs.  
Gaara glared at the empty doorway, but rose from the bed, silently walking over to the staircase, peeking down.  
Neji had been here a lot since Tuesday, just getting to know the kids, who all seemed to love him, and he'd helped with shopping and cooking, although Gaara had overheard a conversation where it was said that he was actually there to help look at their budget, so he'd learn how to manage one. The red suspected he knew it already though.  
But even though the Hyuuga had been here pretty much all the time, he'd appeared quiet and reserved, and he wasn't approaching Gaara to strike up pointless conversations.  
Thus, the red had settled with him.  
He accepted that Neji was there, although he didn't want much to do with him.

But now, he knew that he would have to do his share as well, when he heard Chiyo tell Neji that he could stay while they were gone.  
"Naruto should be back in a few hours max," she said, "Oh, I hope his exam goes ok...Until then, you'd be an angel if you could stay with Gaara. He won't be much trouble, I'm sure. It's ok if you just stay down here and watch tv, or look over those papers we talked about..."  
"Sure," Gaara heard Neji reply, "I'll stay for a while."

Like Gaara needed a babysitter!  
The teen snorted.  
He hoped Naruto was coming home soon, even if that idiot Sasuke had done something today as well. A sulky Naruto was better than being alone with this guy he hardly knew.  
Though, he had to admit, it wasn't half bad either. And Neji did leave him alone, so he had nothing to complain about.

"Uh...Gaara?!" Neji called from the kitchen.  
He hated to disturb the boy, but it couldn't be helped. He was the only one who was there at the moment after all.  
There was no reply.  
Neji stepped out of the kitchen, into the living room, and nearly had a heart attack; Gaara was sitting calmly in the stairs, watching him with cold, darkly ringed eyes.  
"Uh..I..." he tried to collect himself.  
"What?" Gaara asked.  
"I was just wondering if you have any calculators? I seem to have forgotten mine at home..."  
Gaara stood, walking over to a cupboard in the living room. He opened it, and reached inside. After a short while, he reached a calculator to the Hyuuga.  
"Thanks."  
Gaara shrugged.  
The black shirt he was wearing was a little too big for him, Neji noticed. "Hey," he said, "I was thinking of making a sandwich or something...Do you want anything?"

Gaara didn't know what to say. He wondered whether he should be offended; he didn't like the thought of strangers rummaging through their kitchen. But, Neji worked here...  
Slightly puzzled at his own reaction he followed the brunette to the kitchen, and sat down on a chair, watching him as he prepared a couple of sandwiches.

"I'm back," Naruto threw his book bag through the door and dragged himself into the kitchen.  
There, he found Neji and Gaara, sitting at the table eating sandwiches.  
They didn't talk to each other, but he could clearly sense that Gaara was relaxed.  
It puzzled him.  
The red looked up at him. "How did it go?"  
"You do the math." Naruto said, his eyes practically swirling.  
Gaara smiled slightly. "I reckon I'd do it better than you anyhow."  
Naruto flashed him a grin, plopping down on the chair next to his.  
"Hey Neji." he said, more to be polite than anything else.  
Neji nodded, shoving the plate of sandwiches over to him.  
Naruto accepted willingly.  
Between the mouthfuls he asked for the others.  
"They went somewhere." Gaara mumbled, "Neji's babysitting."  
Naruto looked from one to the other. Neither of the two so much as smiled.  
It was strange. But considering the alternatives, it was a positive atmosphere anyway.

"So, what was that all about?" Naruto asked later that night, when the two of them were up in their room.  
"Hmm?"  
"You and Neji having sandwiches in perfect harmony."  
"I was hungry." Gaara shrugged. "He makes good sandwiches. But I don't like having him in our kitchen."  
Naruto laughed. "Sounds like you alright."  
"What do you think about him?" Gaara wondered.  
"I don't know...I don't really know him. I mean, I know that he's Hinata's cousin, and that he's enormously popular. I didn't really like him before...He has quite the reputation you know... But he doesn't seem like they say at all."  
Gaara nodded.  
"I guess I can't say that I trust him..." Naruto paused, "But I guess he's easier to be around  
than-"  
"If you say Sasuke I'll hit you." Gaara said coolly.  
"You're tired of him, right?"  
"You have no idea."  
"That makes two of us." Naruto said, without giving the reason.  
He wasn't sick of Sasuke, he was just sick of his stupidity, and of thinking of him all the time.  
"Let's just talk about something else..."  
"Ok. What are you doing tomorrow?"  
"Ugh," Naruto fell back on his bed, "I just want to sleep. But oh no, I have to study. Monday is the exam in R.S."  
"I'll help you."  
"Like you had any choice." Naruto grinned. "I'm going over to Shikamaru's to study on Sunday though, but until then, I'm relying on you."  
"Moron."  
Naruto rolled over on his stomach, grabbing his pillow. "Arrgh! I can't believe I'm stuck studying all weekend!"

* * *

It couldn't really be said that Naruto did well on his R.S exam; although he and Gaara had studied all of Saturday, he had been sleepless the following night, beating himself up for not having talked to Sasuke that day. He'd thought that if he waited to talk to him until after the exams he'd be able to concentrate better. Clearly that wasn't the case.  
Sleep deprived as he'd been, he'd fallen asleep at least ten times during the study session at Shikamaru's, and then spent the night brooding again.

And now, he was sitting here; glaring down at the sheet before him.  
He knew the answers to most questions, but he just couldn't remember them. Instead he scribbled little spirals on his answer sheet.  
Still, he managed to write enough on the questions he knew the answers to, to know that he wouldn't fail.  
Then, the blonde waited for time to snail it's way to eleven, which was the earliest time they were allowed to leave.  
He snuck a peak over at Sasuke; the raven was concentrated, and seemed to know every answer, but he was pale.  
Once, he arose in a hurry and disappeared out of the classroom.  
His classmates stared after him, but no one said anything.  
He came back minutes later, looking even paler. Naruto noticed how Sasuke's hand was shaking, when he gripped his pen again.  
_"What is wrong with you?"_ he asked quietly in his mind.

When Naruto could finally hand in his test, Sasuke was still seated.  
He thought about waiting for him, but he knew that Sasuke was an A-student, so he'd probably have to wait a long time, and besides, Sasuke didn't seem to be in any shape to have an argument with him today anyway.  
Slightly worried, he left the school and headed home.

The next day was pretty much alike; being the first part of their Japanese Literature exam all they had to do was write a text, part two would be in two days and Naruto expected it to be filled with questions about dead people he didn't give a rat's ass about.  
He reckoned he'd done pretty well on his text though; he'd chosen to write a short story based on a picture in the booklet that came with the test. Naruto's imagination didn't always know it's limits, so he tended to score well when it came to fiction.  
Nevertheless, Sasuke was still seated when Naruto left.  
Today too, he looked pale. But the raven was focused and composed.

Naruto sighed as he exited through the door. He wanted to talk to Sasuke.  
He cursed himself for not taking the other up on his offer the other day!  
But...he'd been worried. Worried that if he went with Sasuke, he'd get too temperamental again. Not only would it affect his scores on the exams, but it would affect his relationship with Sasuke, and cause it to deteriorate.  
Naruto didn't want things to fall apart. They were finally getting somewhere!  
And what the hell was wrong with Sasuke anyway?!  
What did that kiss mean? Why would Sasuke kiss him?  
And Naruto was scared...Because, if Sasuke tried again, he probably wouldn't be able to resist him...  
And what did that mean?

He got back to find Konohamaru and his gang playing cowboys and Indians in the yard.  
They were making an awful ruckus, and several of the girls were tied up to a tree that stood on the lawn. He smiled at them.  
Konohamaru ran over to him. The boy had a feather stuck in his headband. He danced around Naruto, grabbing his hand. "Come play with us!" he pleaded. "You can be a hostage!"  
"I don't think that the Indians had..."  
"Shut up Udon!" Moegi shouted from atop the outhouse where gardening tools were kept. She had a feather in her hair as well, and was as the only girl, an Indian. "I'm the Indian Princess Moon Beam!" she announced.  
"I'll play with you kids later ok?" Naruto said, tearing himself from Konohamaru's grip. "I'm beat after my exam."

He found Gaara on the couch in the living room, he seemed to be half asleep.  
So the blonde decided not to disturb him. However, when Neji asked quietly; "Gaara? Could you throw me that pen?" the red reacted instantly, lazily tossing the pen over towards the Hyuuga.  
"Weren't you sleeping?" Naruto asked.  
"I tried." Gaara frowned. "But the Indians are very noisy."  
Naruto laughed.  
The red seemed to be in high spirits lately. It soothed him. He wondered if it had to do with Neji being around, as a break from kids that were so much younger than him... But the two of them didn't seem to communicate much, though they spent a lot of time just sitting together.  
"You don't have any exams?" Naruto asked, turning to Neji.  
"Unfortunately yes." Neji sighed. "But you see, I am lucky to be a senior," he frowned, "We get to have all of our exams crammed together in the two last weeks, including the day after the Dance. So much for relaxation."  
"Woah..." Naruto mouthed, thinking with dread of his own senior year.  
"Yeah, enjoy your youth while you can." the elder sighed.  
"You sound like Gai-sensei."  
Naruto could see Neji shuddering. It didn't matter how much the other boy enjoyed the company of Lee and Tenten, or what a good teacher Gai was. He did not want to be compared to anything that wore that hideous green suit.  
The blonde laughed. Neji scowled at him.  
"Naruto-nii! Can you play with us noooooow?!"  
Naruto shrugged, smiling. "I guess I'll go out and play hostage, you guys coming?"  
Gaara's expression was blank. Neji's eyebrow twitched slightly.  
"Fine, I'll go by myself then." Naruto said, going back outside, letting Konohamaru tie him up against the tree as well.

Neji and Gaara watched from the window.  
"He's really being the big brother, isn't he?"  
Gaara nodded. "Always. He's amazing."  
Neji glanced over at the younger. Aquamarine eyes met with his. It was so intense it almost burned him. "That's why it hurts so much to hear what they all say..." Gaara turned, going back upstairs.

* * *

Having a few days without exams felt good, even though they were either spent at home studying for the next exam, or at school where the students did nothing but run around like mad, trying to help with whatever it was the teachers were working on.  
In addition to that, there was the committee who worked with the dance, and Deidara's demand that as many as possible helped prepare for the art exhibit. It was to be at the Youth Center as well, and he wanted as many as possible to contribute, either by creating something or by helping to arrange the show itself.  
Everything was chaos.  
And Sasuke was gone.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto practically attacked the girl when they met in the hallway.  
"Naruto, what's up?"  
"H-have you seen S-Sasuke...?" Naruto wheezed. He'd chased down the stairs, leaping over backpacks and people as best he could to reach his friend before she disappeared in the crowd again. If anyone knew where the Uchiha was, it would be her.  
"I'm sorry," she said, "I haven't seen him today. Maybe he's sick?"  
"Or maybe he's just ditching class," Kiba muttered, as he and Shino came through the hall, carrying a table, "It's not like he's missing something important."  
"Kiba!" Shino called out. "Would you _lift_ your end of the table?! You're gonna end up dropping it on my feet!"  
"Sorry! It's heavy!!"  
"Then maybe we should get a move on?" Shino suggested, "I have a student council meeting in ten minutes you know!"  
"Woah," Naruto nudged Sakura, as the pair made their way down the hall, "You just know that the world's gone crazy when Shino looses his cool."  
She sighed, nodding. "I have to go too," she said, apologetically, "I need to be somewhere...Either in the art room to help Deidara-sensei...Or...I was supposed to be helping to plan the Dance...I can't even remember anymore!" she shrilled, speeding down the hall. She turned around, shouting; "If you find him, send him my regards!"  
Naruto smiled and waved.  
If.  
That was a pretty big 'if'.

Naruto made his way down to the cafeteria, but it was so chaotic and crowded he instantly gave up on looking for someone he knew.  
Instead he went up to the roof, where there wasn't anyone, thankfully.  
He let himself slide down onto the concrete floor, resting his head on the wall behind him, closing his eyes and just enjoyed the warmth of the sun on his face.  
No sooner than he was convinced he'd fall asleep like this, his phone rang.  
He didn't check the display before answering, just flipped it open.  
"Y'ello?"  
_"Naruto, it's Sasuke."_  
Naruto's eyes flew open. "Sasuke?! Where are you?!"  
_"Don't bother with that..."_ Sasuke swallowed hard in the other end. _"We need to talk."_  
"I know... that's what I wa-"  
_"Are you free?" _  
"Now?"  
_"Yeah." _  
"Uh...I'm kinda...at school...but..." Naruto shook his head, "Yeah, I'm free."  
He couldn't postpone this any longer.  
_Good, can we meet in the park? I was just out getting some stuff at the store."_  
"Sure, I'll be there in fifteen minutes."  
_"I'll be at the bridge then. See you." _  
Sasuke hung up, and Naruto realized that this was the first proper conversation they'd had in ages. Brushing dust from his clothes, he rose to his feet and rushed down the staircase, out through the front doors and the gates. A few people called his name, but nobody really cared.

Approximately fifteen minutes later, Naruto came running across the bridge, to where Sasuke stood waiting.  
The raven turned to look at him, and Naruto had to make a real effort not to let his mouth drop open; Sasuke was pale. His skin was almost ashen.  
He looked tired.  
But being Sasuke he didn't want it to show.  
"You're late dobe," he said, forcing a smirk.  
"I'm perfectly on time thank you," Naruto growled.

Sasuke knew he wasn't fooling anyone.  
He knew how bad he looked. But it was nothing compared to how he felt.  
Anko had said that the side effects would wear off within the first couple of weeks, which was ridiculous, since he was only supposed to be on these meds for a few weeks anyway.  
In a perfect world Anko would have gotten the picture by now, and he'd be off meds completely. Sadly, there was no such thing as perfect, and Sasuke had to deal with his nausea, sleeplessness, headache and mood swings. Not that the latter was unknown to him.  
"Let's go," he said.  
Naruto looked at him with those confused blue eyes of his. "Go where?"  
"Away from here, I don't want to have this talk in public."  
"And where are we going?"  
"My house." Sasuke said calmly, beginning to walk towards the road.  
"Your...house...?"  
"Anything wrong with that...?" Sasuke had to stop himself, as another wave of nausea swept through him. He swallowed hard.  
"Sasuke, are you ok?" Naruto asked him tentatively.  
"Yeah, don't worry. Now let's go, before things get weird."  
What a lame thing to say. Things were already weird!  
At the moment they were talking like they had before, but as soon as they wandered into the fields of their shared confusion, anger and pain... Another storm would brew.  
Sasuke hated himself for deciding to go through with this today, when he felt so lousy. But he bit back, and walked with Naruto.  
He wanted to think of something to say, but couldn't think of anything. Besides, it would be weird to start talking like everything was normal, when things were so fucked up between them.

He was nervous.  
The nerves alone was enough to make Sasuke sick to his stomach, actually, just the thought of _him _being nervous made Sasuke feel sick.  
This would not end well. He just knew it.  
The Xanax was not agreeing with him. He knew he'd felt better if he'd eaten a little, but the medication took away all appetite, and left him in a vicious circle.  
Another wave of nausea shot through him. He stopped, swallowing hard..  
They weren't that far away from his house... As long as he was spared the humiliation of throwing up in public...

Naruto glanced over at his class mate.  
Sasuke had stopped. His face was paler than ever, and little droplets of sweat clung to his forehead. The boy was leaning his hands on a white picked fence, while he swallowed over and over.  
"Sasuke...?" Naruto's voice was filled with worry. "Are you sick?"  
A pained expression came over Sasuke's ashen face.  
He swallowed, and failed.  
As Sasuke retched, Naruto rushed over to him.  
"It's...fine..." the raven gasped.  
Of course it wasn't.  
Sasuke retched again, this time more violently.  
A choking sound escaped his throat as he vomited over the white fence.  
Naruto watched, wide-eyed. Rather than disgusted he felt helpless.  
Sasuke's breath was heavy, he coughed.  
The raven remained in the same position; leaning forward over the fence, gasping. But he felt better.  
"Sheesh Sasuke," Naruto managed to stutter. "If you're that sick you shouldn't be outside!"  
"I'm not sick." Sasuke said, standing up straight. "It's something else..."  
"What?"  
"I'll tell you later. Now let's go before someone wants to sue me for puking all over their plants..."  
Naruto smiled slightly. This day was taking a strange turn.

When they walked through the gates to the Uchiha Mansion, Naruto realized how big this place really was. It was huge.  
And this was where Sasuke lived all by himself.  
"If you want something," Sasuke said, "Then help yourself in the kitchen, I'm gonna go.. you know..."  
Naruto nodded, walking through the living room, heading into what he presumed was the kitchen.  
There was a staircase in there too, just like the one in the hall, leading upstairs.  
He heard the water run in the bathroom, and the sound of Sasuke brushing his teeth.

This was so strange...  
He and Sasuke had hardly spoken to each other since that day when Sasuke had kissed him, and now here he was, in the raven's house. And they had yet to say something to piss each other off. He just hoped they would be able to talk like normal people this time.

Sasuke came back. He'd changed, Naruto noticed; he was wearing black slacks as usual, and a black college sweater with a zipper in the front, that fit snugly on his body.  
Why did he notice something like that?  
And now of all times, when Sasuke was sick.  
"Found anything?" Sasuke asked him.  
Naruto shook his head. "I'm not really hungry..."  
Sasuke shrugged. "Naturally, after seeing that..." he shuddered. "Let's go upstairs then."

The only room in the house where Sasuke felt even remotely comfortable, was his own.  
Naruto got that, by the way the raven's shoulders dropped slightly, and no more than that, when he walked over the threshold.  
The blonde followed him, sitting on the bed next to him when Sasuke did.  
They sat like that, neither of them saying a word.  
It was strange, to sit like this.  
So strange not to yell at each other.  
Naruto nervously eyed Sasuke, trying so hard to figure out what was going through the raven's mind right now.  
Sasuke looked back at him. "I guess we should start talking, right?"  
Naruto nodded.  
The truth was that they were both so confused over everything that had happened, it was hard to know where to start, and what was important to deal with...  
Sasuke took a deep breath; "Look, I've been an asshole...and I want to apologize."  
Naruto stared at him. He knew that this was hard for the Uchiha; to step down from his high horse, where he wasn't safe, and to apologize.  
Right about now Naruto could've said something about how he'd been no better himself with the way he'd screamed and accused, but he said nothing. He waited, for Sasuke to continue.  
"I'm angry Naruto," he said. "Because... I don't know... I'd almost forgotten...You know? And then I come here, and..." he paused, sighing. "You're here, and everyone's treating you like crap, and you just _take_ it!"  
"I told you-"  
"Let me talk."  
Naruto closed his mouth, listening.  
"I hated to watch the way they treated you, but at the same time, I didn't want to make contact with you. Because back then... You...They rescued you...and they left me alone, so... the truth is that... I grew to hate you."  
There they were. The very words that Naruto had hoped were nothing but a result of his lively fantasy. But they were real; harsh and cold, straight from Sasuke's lips. Still, the blonde sat still, not saying a word.  
"At least I thought so..." Sasuke continued. "But, what I hated was the fact that when we met again... and whenever I look at you, you make me remember things that happened... things that... it hurts. Ok? That's why. I pushed you away, because being near you brought me nothing but pain."  
Sasuke was talking fast, almost without breathing. He hated the thought of opening up and sharing his inner and outmost private thoughts with someone else.  
Still, this had to be done. Because he couldn't bear it any longer.  
"You made me remember all the things I'd tried so hard to forget. And when I started to remember, I blamed you for it. And I guess...I still do in a way... But, I don't hate you. I never did. I thought that I did..." the Uchiha seemed lost in his own words.  
"You remember..." Naruto whispered, more to himself than anything else.  
"Of course I remember!" Sasuke's voice was nearly a shrill. "It's not like you have forgotten, is it? It's not like you didn't start remembering lots of things when we met again?!"  
Naruto nodded, shook his head and nodded again.  
"I'm scared of remembering." Sasuke stared down at his hands. "So I push you away. I try to stop myself from feeling the pain, you know?"  
"I know," Naruto said quietly.  
They went quiet.

It was out.  
Sasuke had said it. At least the important part of it; that he remembered, that he was an idiot for blaming Naruto, and that he had pushed him away and tried to make himself hate him, to forget.  
He sighed deeply. It was such a relief, but at the same time there was so much more that hadn't been said.

"Sasuke..." Naruto made the raven face him again. "Why did you kiss me?"  
"I guess..." Sasuke started. "I panicked... I hated myself for pushing you away, and I was terrified. It seemed like the right thing to do..." he paused again. "Or, not right. But I felt I had to."  
"So...that's the reason...?" Naruto probed. "Or is there something else?"  
"Isn't it obvious...?" Sasuke's voice softened, he leaned closer to the blonde.  
His breath was warm on Naruto's cheek, the weak scent of mint caught his nose.  
The blonde swallowed.  
"Sasuke...Wait," he pushed the raven back, "I'm...confused. And I know you are too..."  
Sasuke's weary eyes met his.  
"It's my turn to talk right?"  
Sasuke nodded.  
"Then you can't interrupt either, ok?"  
Sasuke nodded again. He waited for the blonde to start talking.  
"Ok..." Naruto took a deep breath. "Firstly, I thought I was crazy when you first appeared, you know that? I'd just started to remember you again, and then there you were..." he smiled slightly, "But you weren't you. God, Sasuke...I wanted to convince myself that you weren't the same person I remember. Because the Sasuke I knew wasn't cold like you. The Sasuke I knew wouldn't call me names, insult me and ignore me... But I still knew. And I thought that maybe you didn't remember, or that you didn't... I tried to talk to you, you know? And I think you cut me off on purpose a lot of the times when I tried to ask you if you remembered..." he paused, trying to read Sasuke's expression, but it was impossible.  
He wasn't really sure what he was trying to say. The annoyance rose in him, but his voice was just as gentle as before.  
"I wanted to be your friend. I wanted you to know that I didn't want you to be alone anymore." he brushed a few blonde locks out of his eyes, "Why did you continue to push me away? If you hated me, you could have said so! You didn't have to lash out at me like that and then ignore me for weeks! And what am I supposed to think, huh? When you first tell me you're not my friend, and you act like you never want to see me again, but then you kiss me?! What the hell was that all about?!" his voice rose to a shrill.  
His sapphire eyes glared accusingly at the Uchiha.  
Sasuke's dark eyes were locked on him. "You're angry," the raven stated.  
"Well of course! And so are you!"  
Sasuke looked away. It was true. But he was angrier at himself than he was at Naruto. Hearing the words coming out of the blonde's mouth made him realize how many mixed signals he'd been sending, and how hurtful it must have been.  
"But I don't want to be angry," Naruto continued, "I just wanted you to know...And then I hoped we could go back to normal, whatever that is..."  
"Me too..."  
The blonde sighed, relieved. "At least we're on the same page...Right?"  
"Right," Sasuke seemed a bit distraught.  
"Sasuke?"  
"Naruto..." the Uchiha started, "If..."  
"Hm?"  
Their gazes met.  
"If you hadn't been so mad at me that day...I mean...If I hadn't been acting that way..." he struggled to get the words out, Naruto could tell, it was weird to see Sasuke so...vulnerable? Was that the word?  
"I guess what I'm trying to say, is...If things were different...What would you do after...?"  
"After?" Naruto asked, his look quizzical.  
"After I...kissed you..." Sasuke was almost mumbling.  
Naruto's cheeks flushed a little. "Uh...that..." he rambled. "I...I'd kiss you back...I guess..."

Sasuke looked at him, seemingly surprised.  
Naruto looked back, slightly uncertain, and still flushed.  
"B-but..." Naruto caught himself saying, "The way things are now...And how they were...It's really confusing. We do and say things we don't mean...-"  
"I meant it." Sasuke's voice was stern, but shaky.  
He felt so sickeningly vulnerable in this situation, with his emotions on display.  
"Even if you did," Naruto continued. "I don't know...I...You mean _a lot_ to me Sasuke, and I don't even know you. I'm confused..." he repeated himself for the billionth time. "So...I need to ask you for some time..."  
"Time?"  
"To figure out what I want...?" he nervously played with the zipper in his sweater.  
Sasuke nodded.  
"I really want us to get along... So for now, let's just stick to being friends..."  
"Friends," Sasuke seemed to taste the word.  
Naruto reached out, his hand brushing down Sasuke's sleeve, briefly touching his hand. "Yeah, friends. Ok?"  
Sasuke smiled slightly. "Alright...Friends."  
He gripped around Naruto's hand, squeezing it softly, and let go again just as quickly.  
The blonde smiled back at him. "It's a start, right?"

Before he left, Naruto turned to Sasuke, looking at him with worry in his eyes.  
"Are you sure you're ok?"  
"I've been fine all the time while you've been here, haven't I? It's ok."  
"What did you say it was, anyway?" Naruto demanded, he didn't like the thought of leaving the raven at all. As well as he might seem right now, Naruto could still see the incident earlier that day clearly in his mind.  
Sasuke shook his head. "Nothing, just side effects."  
"Side effects?"  
"I told you, don't worry about it dobe."  
"What kind of side effects?!" Naruto wanted to know. "Allergy medicines or something?"  
The Uchiha nodded. "Something like that. Now get out."  
His voice was emotionless, but the smirk on his lips was one of slight playfulness.  
"If you get worse you're calling me." the Uzumaki ordered.  
Sasuke wanted to protest, but was cut off; "That's what friends are for Sasuke!"  
"Fine, but you have nothing to worry about."  
Naruto scowled at him. "You better be right about that Sasuke-teme!" he flashed him another grin. "See you at school tomorrow then?"  
"Yeah. See you."

Sasuke closed the door, sighing.  
He felt terrible, his head was pounding.  
And he was smiling. It didn't matter how much humiliation he'd had to endure today...Things were fine between them. At least it seemed that way.  
He was just glad he'd managed to talk to the blonde without twisting his words and starting a fight.  
Still, in some ways he was more confused than before; in a very subtle way he had admitted to having feelings for Naruto. And when the blonde had said he'd think about it...  
That meant...  
Slightly stressed, he ran his hands through this ebony fringe.  
Trying to calm himself down, he went to his room, trying to read up for the upcoming biology exam, but it only made his headache worse, and he'd rarely been this distracted. So he ended up falling asleep.

The sun tickled in the back of Naruto's neck. He'd probably get a sunburn, but he didn't care.  
"Aaaah! I'm so relieved!" he shouted.  
People turned, staring at him. He just grinned at them.  
He should've talked to Sasuke ALOT earlier, he thought. Not that he hadn't tried, but still. Naruto had never thought that it was possible for him and Sasuke to talk calmly ever again. But now... He grinned wider.  
The only thing that bugged him was the kiss...  
And how he had said he'd think about it. Think about what?  
It was true that he had thought that if Sasuke had tried to kiss him again, he wouldn't have been able to resist. Though he had, because he was pretty sure that Sasuke had been about to kiss him earlier, when they were in his room.  
So what did that mean? Did he want Sasuke to kiss him, or not?  
_"I guess that's what I told him I was going to think about..." _  
"Ah well," Naruto said to himself, continuing to walk down the street, "At least I can talk to him."  
At this moment, he chose to be optimistic, and he was determined that not even the upcoming biology exam, or the thoughts revolving around the kiss could bring him down.

* * *

"Okay people," Kiba grinned, "Clear your schedules on Saturday!"  
"You're finally celebrating your birthday?" Ino asked, tossing her hair back.  
They were standing in the hall, waiting for Jiraiya to come and unlock the class room door. Around them a few students were reading through their notes and books in the last minute.  
"What do you mean 'finally'?!" Kiba snorted. "It's only been a few days, and besides, I couldn't celebrate in the middle of the exams, could I?"  
"You _could_," Chouji said, "But..."  
"So what are we doing?" Shikamaru asked.  
"First we go to the movies, it's the premier day for that new ninja movie..."  
"Oh! I've been dying to see that one!"  
Kiba grinned. "Yeah, me too. And then, we'll go somewhere and eat."

The others continued to discuss where they should go eat, and what Kiba wished for.  
Meanwhile, Naruto spotted Sasuke walking in the door.  
He smiled and waved. "Sasuke!"  
The rest of the group turned, and watched Sasuke walk slowly up to them.  
He seemed uncertain.  
But he returned Naruto's smile. "Hi."  
"Do you feel better?" Naruto asked him.  
Sasuke shrugged.  
"Feel better? What are you talking about?" Sakura demanded.  
Sasuke didn't reply, and Naruto didn't say anything either.  
The girl sighed. "Fine, be that way."  
"So, you two are back to normal again?"  
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged glances.  
The blonde smiled. "I guess."  
"What was going on with you two anyway?!"  
Neither of them replied.  
"Whatever, if you don't wanna share..." Kiba rolled his eyes, "You're coming too then, right Sas?"  
A vein popped on Sasuke's forehead.  
"Sorry, _Sasuke_."  
"Coming where?" Sasuke asked nonchalantly.  
"We're going to the movies on Saturday," Sakura explained. "To celebrate Kiba's birthday."  
"We'll see." the raven shrugged again.

Just then, Jiraiya stepped up to the door.  
He grinned at the students.  
"I hope you're prepared!" he said, unlocking the door.  
The students around him mumbled.  
"The test is probably full of sex questions..." someone muttered.  
"Well that's good!" Kiba beamed. "Gives us all a chance, right?!"  
Laughter filled the hallway, as the class made their way through the doors.

In the corner of his eye, Naruto saw Neji moving down the hall. The Hyuuga offered him a slight nod as he met up with Lee and the two of them started to talk, continuing down towards their classroom.

Naruto watched Sasuke during most of the exam.  
He tried to see if the boy's hand was shaking, or if he seemed to be in any sort of pain.  
It didn't matter what kind of explanations Sasuke presented him with, what Naruto had seen yesterday had worried him.  
Sasuke didn't seem like the type to suddenly throw up because of a new brand of allergy meds.  
Still, despite looking tired and a bit paler than usual, Sasuke seemed fine.  
He was writing down his answers quickly, without as much as touching his eraser.  
Naruto smiled, and caught himself staring at Sasuke's mouth.  
While the raven's face was emotionless, he was biting his lower lip slightly.  
Sasuke's lips were pale and thin, but they were soft. At least they had been that day when...  
He stopped himself, nearly springing to his feet at the realization of what he was sitting there thinking. The pencil slipped, and a crooked line ran up the sheet, ending at the top right corner.  
"Is there a problem, Naruto?" Jiariya asked, looking up from his desk.  
"Eh...No..." Naruto grinned sheepishly. "Sorry..."  
Sasuke glanced over at him, one eyebrow lifted.  
Still grinning, Naruto quickly looked away.

"How'd you do?" Kiba asked Naruto when they came into the hall. The two of them had finished pretty much at the same time.  
Naruto shrugged. "Not too bad I guess... But I couldn't remember all the chemical names for everything..." he sighed, "What does that have to do with bio anyway? Chemicals should stay in Chemistry, where they belong."  
Kiba laughed. "Sadly the periodic table seems to cross over to other subjects..."  
Naruto unlocked his locker, taking out his history book. "Why do I bother?" he asked himself out loud. "I just _know_ I'll fail this one!"  
"You really shouldn't be so negative!" Sakura's voice came from behind him.  
"Sakura-chan?" he asked, surprised.  
"You did poorly too?" Kiba snickered.  
She rolled her eyes. "Not all of us finish early because of that. I'll have you know I answered all the questions!"  
"Damn," the dog lover stared at her dumbfounded.  
"What are you doing now?" Naruto asked her.  
"I'll be heading home, to eat and shower, and then it's off to work." she replied, throwing a quick glance at herself in the mirror fastened inside her locker.  
"Oh, you've found a job?"  
Naruto had been so busy with everything that had been going on between him and Sasuke he'd forgotten to ask the girl how the job hunt was going.  
"Yeah..." she sighed. "It's kinda lame, but at least it pays."  
"So, where do you work?"  
Kiba's snicker grew into a full fledged laugh: "Do you want fries with that?"  
"Shut up Kiba!" Sakura thundered, slamming her locker shut.  
"Really?!" Naruto chuckled. "We all have to come visit you at work then! You can treat us to a free meal!"  
"The only thing the two of you will be treated to, is a kick to the curb!"  
The two boys laughed harder.  
"Naruto,"  
The three teens turned to look at their upper classman, who'd silently stepped up to them without any of them noticing.  
Sakura's cheeks flushed slightly.  
Although having a huge crush on Sasuke, she had to admit that Neji from the class over them was gorgeous.  
"Neji?"  
"Are you going home?"  
The blonde nodded.  
"I'll give you a ride then."  
"I thought you weren't working today."  
"I promised Chiyo-san to drive Konohamaru to his karate lessons, and pick up some groceries."  
Naruto shrugged. "Ok, fine." he turned to his friends, "I'll see you guys."  
They nodded, waving him off.

"How'd the exam go?" Neji asked.  
"Ok I guess." Naruto replied, looking out the window.  
"Yours?"  
"Pretty good. It was hard though," he shook his head. "Typical Orochimaru."  
"Ugh." Naruto shuddered. "How come you're done already?"  
"I'm fast." Neji smirked. "And I spent the whole weekend studying."  
"You too huh?" Naruto leaned back in the seat. "I'm glad I don't have to do that this weekend!"  
"Lucky," the other smiled. "What are you doing then?"  
He asked mostly to keep the conversation going.  
"We're going with Kiba to the movies and stuff, to celebrate his birthday."  
"We? As in you and Gaara?"  
"I don't think he'll be going..." Naruto chewed on his lip. "You know how he is, and besides, he and Kiba kinda got off on the wrong foot..."  
"I see."  
Naruto glanced carefully at the brunette. He didn't like this interest he had in Gaara.  
Neji's reputation was well known, among other things it said that neither guys nor girls were able to say no to him.  
Other than that, he liked the elder. He just didn't want him anywhere near his best friend in _that_ way. God knew Gaara didn't need anything to throw his emotions even more off balance.  
But then again, Neji probably just asked to have something to talk about.

Gaara was sitting on the floor in the living room when they got back.  
He was helping three first graders with their kana exercises.  
"Hi," he mumbled. "How'd it go?"  
Naruto shrugged, making room for Neji in the doorway.  
"Neji." Gaara stood, running a hand through his short locks. "Hi."  
"Hey." Neji smiled at him.  
Naruto eyed them carefully. "Where's Chiyo baa-san?" he finally asked.  
Gaara jerked his head towards the kitchen.  
"Neji's here!" Naruto hollered rather than going in there to get her.  
"Wonderful!" she called back. "Could you ask him to come in here?"  
Neji removed his shoes and went into the kitchen.

Naruto headed for the stairs, pinching Gaara slightly in the side as he passed him.  
"Ow!" The red pushed him playfully.  
Naruto laughed.  
Neji came back out of the kitchen.  
"Konohamaru!" Chiyo called up the stairs. "You have to go now or you'll be late!"  
"Coming!" the boy shouted back.  
Seconds later he came running downstairs, carrying a duffel bag. "I'm ready!"  
"Let's go then." Neji said, smiling at him. He looked over at Naruto and Gaara. "You two want anything from the store?"  
Naruto shook his head. "I'm good."  
Gaara's eyes flickered, met with Neji's pale ones. He shook his head. "Me too..."  
The elder shrugged.  
"Let's goooo!" Konohamaru tugged at Neji's shirt.  
"Alright, I'm coming." the teen replied, putting his shoes back on.  
He waved to the two others, and left.

The door slammed.  
Naruto turned to his friend. He cocked an eyebrow.  
"What was that?"  
"Hm?" Gaara looked back at him, wondering.  
"Don't play dumb." Naruto nudged him. "You and Neji! The way you looked at each other just now!"  
Gaara scoffed. "You're overdramatic as usual."  
Naruto shook his head. "No," he said, sliding his arm around Gaara's neck. "I know you. That look was different..."  
"What are you implying?" Gaara asked, annoyed.  
"I think..." Naruto whispered. "You have a thing for Neji."  
"What?!" Gaara pushed the blonde away. "Are you insane?!"  
Naruto shrugged. "Possibly. But it looks like it."  
"Well I don't!"  
"Good." Naruto touched Gaara's shoulder gently, running his hand down the boy's arm. "Because his reputation..."  
"I know, jeez. Konoha isn't _that_ big." Gaara rolled his eyes.

They made their way up to the room.  
"Besides, if I have a thing for Neji, you most definitely have a thing for Sasuke!" the red opened the door. "Which, of course is ridiculous!"  
"Heh," Naruto snorted, following Gaara into their room.  
Gaara turned his head, staring at the blonde. "Or...Maybe it isn't?"  
"Heh..." Naruto said again.  
"Oh my God," Gaara plopped down on his bed, his eyes widening. "You do!"  
"Not exactly..." Naruto mumbled. "But..."  
"But?"  
"Sasuke kissed me..."  
Gaara stared in disbelief.  
"W-when did this happen?!"  
"A few weeks ago..."  
"Weeks?!"  
"Yeah..." Naruto grabbed his pillow, clutching it. "I meant to tell you, but things got kinda fucked up, so I guess I forgot."  
A little white lie didn't hurt, and besides, Gaara looked positively mortified, and probably didn't notice it anyway.  
"Sasuke _kissed_ you?!" Gaara repeated, just as shocked.  
"Pretty much yeah..."  
"And what did you do?"  
"I...pushed him away, yelled at him, flew the scene..." Naruto summarized. "We got into this huge fight,"  
"So that's what these past weeks have been about." Gaara mumbled, talking mostly to himself.  
"But...we've talked about it." Naruto continued, "And we decided to just be friends."  
_"For now..."_  
"So," Gaara stared at him. "What's the deal? Sasuke's in love with you or something?"  
Naruto bit his lip. "I...don't really know... He said it was a spur of the moment thing..."  
Gaara frowned.  
"But it's fine really. Things are totally cool between us now." Naruto tried to convince himself just as hard as he tried to convince Gaara. Because he wasn't so sure things were cool, at least not when it came to figure out where Sasuke and he stood.  
"Sure it is, because everything is always a hundred percent certain with Sasuke." Gaara said flatly.  
It was Naruto's turn to frown.  
"Urgh, he's such an idiot."  
"You keep telling me that."  
"Yeah...But he's not that bad, really."  
"You keep telling me that too."  
"Gaara!" Naruto whined. "What the hell am I supposed to do?!"  
"What? I don't know?! You...like that idiot?"  
"I..." Naruto fell face first into his mattress. "You know, if I knew that, I wouldn't be so frustrated!"  
"Crap." Gaara's mouth almost dropped open. "You do."  
"No."  
"No?" the red crossed his arms over his chest, eyes digging into Naruto's.  
"Well...I...don't really know..."  
"Either you do, or you don't."  
"It's not that simple..."  
_"There's a lot of things about us you don't know..."_  
"And...right now, I'm mostly worried about him." Naruto said, sitting up, "He doesn't seem well lately."  
"He never has seemed well if you ask me."  
Naruto shot his friend a sharp glare.  
Gaara sighed. "What's wrong with him?"  
"Well...he's just...sick. He's missed a lot of school lately, and then he got sick when we went to his house..."  
"His house...?" Gaara's brow furrowed. "The house where Sasuke lives all alone?"  
"Moron, you're the one flirting with the sex offender."  
"I am not flirting with him. Neji isn't the kind of person I'd get along with at all, and you know that! It's just that it's ok to talk to someone when you're not around. He doesn't say much though, and that's just as well. Other than that, Neji is just as you described him."  
"Relax. Anyway, nothing happened. We just talked. And Sasuke was sick anyway."  
The red nodded slowly. "So, did you ask him about it?"  
"He said it was a side effect." Naruto shrugged.  
"That narrows it down to about a thousand types of medication." Gaara shook his head. "Probably nothing to worry too much about though."  
"I hope not..."  
They looked at each other, from their separate beds.  
For the first time in ages, it felt like there was a distance between them. And that despite how Naruto had confided in Gaara just now.  
But Gaara couldn't stand Sasuke, and Naruto knew it.

* * *

It was strange to sit in Sasuke's car again.  
Still, Naruto preferred it to walking, and to riding with Neji, not to mention how much he preferred it to having to deal with the feeling that Sasuke hated him.

For once, the two of them had finished the exam at the same time.  
Whether it was because the questions were so hard there was no way anyone could answer them, or because Sasuke'd decided he'd had enough of the creepy way Orochimaru had stared at him throughout the time he sat there, Naruto wasn't so sure of, but he was glad that Sasuke had finished right after him and had offered him a ride.

"Maaaan!" Naruto stretched, yawning. "I'm so glad there's only one more exam left!"  
Sasuke nodded. "Yeah, it's been tiring."  
"I can tell. You look like a wreck."  
The raven glared at the blonde.  
"Sorry."  
"You wanna study together today?" Sasuke changed the topic.  
Naruto was surprised. Usually Sasuke wouldn't suggest something like that.  
"Sure. Where? Your house?" a little knot tied in his stomach.  
_"Damn you Gaara," _he thought. He'd been havng weird thoughts ever since he'd talked to Gaara the previous day.  
"No, I was thinking we should go to the library."  
"Ok," Naruto nodded.  
Sasuke steered the car in the opposite direction of where they'd been intending to go.  
"You forgot to blink." Naruto pointed out.  
Sasuke's hands were shaky again he noticed.  
"Don't worry about it," Sasuke replied.  
"Sasuke, do you feel sick again?"  
"Hmm? No. Just tired, from all the exams."  
Naruto hoped that was true.  
"But you said it yourself; there's only one more to go."  
The blonde smiled, nodding. "Yeah. So let's do our best!"

After a six hour long study session in the library, Naruto had discovered three things;  
One: Sasuke was a great teacher, and he should have studied with him for the other exams as well.  
Two: Sasuke did a corky thing with his lip when he was thinking hard; kinda quirking it whilst biting at it at the same time.  
Three: He was staring at Sasuke.  
And four: He was starving.  
Ok, so that wasn't three. It was probably the hunger that made him confused.

"What do you say we go eat now?!" Naruto was practically begging the raven as they got back in his car.  
His stomach growled loudly, agreeing with him.  
"Fine," Sasuke nodded. "What do you want?"  
Naruto smirked. "Burger King."  
Sasuke rolled his eyes. He hated junk food. Most of it anyways.  
He figured he could always snag the blonde's fries.

The restaurant, if you could really refer to this place as one, wasn't very busy at this hour.  
So Sasuke agreed to eat inside rather than order in the drive-through, although he would have preferred it that way.  
"I'll order, you just wait at the table." Naruto said, heading for the counter.  
Sasuke sat down in the booth Naruto had picked out for them.  
He hated places like this...  
But he was here with Naruto after all, so it wasn't half bad.  
It annoyed him that the voice in his head wanted to know if this was a date.  
Of course it wasn't. It was Naruto feeding that bottomless pit of a stomach he had after having studied harder than he had done in all of his life.  
But it felt nice though.  
He waited patiently, his fingers drumming absentmindedly on the table.

"Welcome to Burger King, may I take your or- Naruto!" Sakura's cheery voice changed into a hiss. "Didn't I tell you not to come here?!"  
"It's a free country," Naruto grinned. "And I was in the mood for hamburgers. Is that a crime?"  
"Ack," Sakura leaned forward, supporting her chin on her hand. "You're alone right? I'd hate for everyone to come here while I work."  
"No," Naruto shrugged, "Sasuke's here too."  
Sakura's face went white.  
"SASUKE?!" she shrilled. She nearly threw herself over the counter, grabbing Naruto by the shirt. "What are you thinking, bringing him here?! Do you think I want him to see me with grease in my hair and ketchup stains everywhere?!"  
"Jeez, we were just hungry!" Naruto managed to stutter; Sakura was shaking him violently.  
"What are you doing?!" a boy shouted at her. "You're supposed to treat the customers with respect..."  
"Sorry, but this idiot isn't a customer. He's a friend of mine."  
The boy smiled. "Meal's on you then? How nice!"  
Sakura snarled something.  
"Thanks Sakura-chan!" Naruto beamed. "Ok, so I'm gonna have...the biggest burger you have, with everything on the side. And Sasuke just wants fries."  
"Fine..." Sakura sighed. "Soda?"  
"Coke and Fanta."  
"Ok, just sit down. I'll call you in ten minutes time..."  
Naruto grinned and returned to their table.  
It was Sasuke's turn to grab him by the shirt this time. "Was that the voice of who I think it was?!" he demanded, gritting his teeth.  
"Ehehee..." Naruto laughed nervously. "She works here... but don't worry, it's not like she'll be joining us or anything. She's working after all."  
"That better be right," Sasuke warned him.

Ten uncomfortable minutes later, Sakura's voice rang out in the restaurant; "Naruto! Your order is up!"  
The blonde teen sprinted to the counter, got the order and returned to Sasuke.  
The other eyed him suspiciously, helping himself to a French Fry.  
"What?" Naruto asked, taking a huge bite out of his hamburger. "I didn't make a secret deal with her or anything."  
"Hn," Sasuke dipped a new fry in the little cup of ketchup.

The Uchiha watched Naruto stuff his face, while eating slowly.  
They were alone... He could just ask him now...  
Swallowing nervously, he started; "Naruto? Did you think about the-"  
A shadow ran over his face as Sakura plopped down next to Naruto in the booth, placing a portion of salad on the table.  
"I decided to have my break now, so I could eat with you!" she chirped.  
Sasuke glared at Naruto, with murder in his eyes.  
Naruto shrugged apologetically.  
"So, what've you two been doing all day? Shika said he saw you drive off right after the exam?"  
"We went to the library." Naruto said.  
"Oh? Studying for tomorrow?"  
"Yeah."  
"Ugh, I feel like I haven't got enough time, even though I only have a short shift today, and I know most of the stuff already... But I'm always so nervous before exams anyway! You know?"  
Naruto nodded, having another bite of his burger.  
Sasuke said nothing.  
The blonde reached the burger towards him. "Want some?"  
Slightly hesitant, and mildly disgusted Sasuke stared at the half-eaten hamburger in Naruto's hand. He stared at Naruto, as if asking him 'Do you really think I'd eat that?!' but he had a small bite anyway.  
He could barely taste a slice of tomato in between everything else, but that aside... He realized he really did hate junk food.  
"That reminds me," Sakura laughed, "Did you know that there's some stupid rumor about the two of you flowing around school!"  
Sasuke and Naruto exchanged glances.  
Could it be that Sai had really...?  
"They're saying that the two of you are _going out_!" Sakura laughed harder. "But of course that's just so ridiculous that no one believes it. It's just something they're saying to have something to talk about you know? But I'm surprised you didn't know!"  
Sasuke clenched his fist under the table. Wonderful. Just wonderful.  
Naruto sent him a sympathizing glance. "Well it doesn't matter if no one believes it, does it?" he took a fry from the tray on the table. "We don't care about some lame-ass rumor, do we Sasuke?"  
"Hn," Sasuke managed to press forward.

Sakura babbled on as usual, until her boss told her to get back to work.  
She looked deadly offended, but collected her trash and left them with a cheery 'bye! Good luck tomorrow!'  
And by then, both of the boys were done eating as well.  
"We should get back, right?" Naruto asked. "I'm sure they're pretty worried about me by now, and I still need to finish my notes."  
"Yeah..." Sasuke said, finishing his soda. "I'll drive you home."  
He seemed annoyed.  
Naruto assumed it was because Sakura had joined them after all, even after he had promised Sasuke she wouldn't, as well as because of the news she had brought to their attention.  
And because he'd wanted an answer...  
But Naruto was certain of one thing; he wasn't ready to give one yet, so he didn't bring it up again on purpose. Sasuke probably wouldn't ask again today anyway. He was too proud for that kind of thing.

The ride home was one in silence.  
It gave Naruto time to study Sasuke.  
He seemed calmer now, despite being so annoyed.  
His hands weren't shaky, and his eyes seemed livelier.  
He wasn't as pale either. In fact, Naruto thought, he hadn't been all day.  
He felt the relief wash over him; he'd been afraid Sasuke would get worse again after seeing how unfocused he was on the drive to the library. It seemed he'd worried in vain though. Thankfully.

"Here we are," Sasuke's soft lips spoke.  
The car had stopped.  
Naruto must have spaced out, he realized. He looked up, this time fitting all of Sasuke's face into his range of vision.  
"Thanks..." he mumbled. "I'll see you tomorrow."  
"Yeah."  
"Don't pressure yourself too much," Naruto said, holding up his bookbag.  
"You neither."  
"I won't."  
Sasuke smiled. "Good luck."  
"You too...See you tomorrow."  
Damn, he'd said that already.  
Sasuke didn't say anything.  
The engine roared, and then the car had rolled back out on the road. Naruto stared after it, clutching his bag.  
"Hot date?"  
Naruto spun around, almost falling into the arms of his best friend.  
"Lay off Gaara."  
"I'm kidding!" Gaara laughed, helping the blonde get his balance back. "Where were you?"  
"At the library," Naruto yawned, "Man, studying is such a draaag!"  
"Only one more to go though, right?"  
"Yeah. And then I'm gonna sleep for two whole days. Go to Kiba's birthday thing, and then go back to sleep!"

That was pretty much what he did; after coming back the next day, Naruto collapsed on his bed, falling asleep instantly. He slept through dinner and didn't wake up until around seven.  
When he awoke he made himself some cup ramen, before going back to sleep, not waking until the alarm rang the next morning.  
He groaned, but got up.

Gaara was sitting on his bed, regarding him.  
"Morning sleepyhead." he smiled, throwing a shirt to the blonde. "You won't have time for breakfast unless you hurry."

With his shoes barely tied and a sandwich in his mouth, Naruto stormed down the street ten minutes later.  
Only to find out that this was another of the pointless days where all they did was sitting around or stressing about, helping with some preparation to some event.  
The only comfort was that all of his friends, and Sasuke, were just as exhausted.  
The lot of them just hung around the classroom, talking quietly amongst each other, or dozing off.

* * *

On Saturday afternoon, they all met outside the movie theatre.  
It was quite crowded, even though they were early.  
"Where's Sasuke-kun?" not surprisingly, it was Sakura asking.  
"He texted me right before I left," Naruto said. "He can't make it, says he's not feeling well."  
"Oh? What's wrong with him?" Ino sounded worried.  
"Is he sick?" Sakura echoed.  
"It's probably nothing." Naruto calmed them. But he wasn't so sure about that. He didn't want to worry himself unnecessarily though, so he reached into his bookbag, which obviously didn't hold any books at the time. "Here," he said, reaching a present to Kiba. "Happy belated"  
Kiba grinned. "Thanks dude."  
"It's from Sasuke and me, so remember to thank him too." Naruto said, feeling a bit embarrassed.  
The others gave their gifts as well, and they headed inside the theatre.

After the movie they went to a small Chinese restaurant and had dinner, before rounding the whole event off at Kiba's favorite place; the Arcade.

It was already ten thirty when Naruto made his way home.  
Being the only one who lived in his direction, he walked alone. Without anything better to do he got out his phone, dialing Sasuke's number.  
_"Hello?"_  
He'd answered quickly. Naruto took that as a good sign.  
"Hi, it's me. How are you feeling? We got a little worried."  
_"I'm fine. My headache went away about an hour ago." _  
"That's good. So what are you doing?"  
_"I was thinking I'd go to bed early."_  
"Oh, I'm not gonna disturb you then."  
_"Nah, it's ok. How was the birthday thing?"_  
"The movie was awesome!" Naruto exclaimed. "It was reeeally crowded though, so we were lucky to get tickets. Kiba didn't order in advance of course. Typical him. And then we went out and ate, and then to the arcade."  
_"You still the ruling champion at DDR?"_ Sasuke asked, a smile playing on his lips as he said it. Naruto could tell that he was smiling.  
"Yeah, pretty much. They don't stand a chance. You know that!"  
Sasuke 'hn'ed in the other end.  
"Oh, and just so you know, you got Kiba a gift."  
_"I did, did I?"_  
"Mhm, I said it was from both of us. I mean, you were invited after all, so I thought it'd be weird if you didn't get him anything..."  
_"What did we get him then?"_ Sasuke asked with amusement in his voice. _"And just so you know, you don't have to do things like that. I doubt he'd be surprised if I didn't get him anything." _  
"Yes I do," Naruto said with determination in his voice, "And we got him the newest 'Nightmare' cd."  
_"Okay, I'll pay you back later."_  
Naruto shrugged. "Don't worry about that. I'm gonna leave you alone now, ok?"  
_"Alright, talk to you later."_  
"Yeah. On Monday probably. I'll be sleeping all day tomorrow."  
_"'Kay,"_ Sasuke laughed slightly again. _"Bye."_  
"Bye." Naruto hung up.

* * *

The days remaining until the dance blew past in what seemed like seconds.  
The sixteenth was there all of a sudden, and the group sat in the cafeteria during lunch, absolutely exhausted from being ordered around by Kotetsu and Izumo and the rest of the committee all day. They barely had time to eat.  
Which meant the girls didn't have any time to talk about what to wear. They were chatting away excitedly now though, barely noticing the boys at the table.  
They weren't as enthusiastic.  
Shino was looking over the map of the table setting one last time, making sure that everyone was placed in the right seats, and that they had added up the number of chairs correctly.  
Shikamaru, Chouji and Kiba were discussing the movie they'd watched the past weekend, arguing over whether or not the incidents were based on historical facts.  
Sasuke was reading a free magazine he'd found laying around the table. Naruto was watching over his shoulder, taking a bite out of his sandwich once in a while.

"I don't know... I think your purple top looks really cute on you," Sakura said.  
"Me too." Hinata agreed.  
"Yeah...But...I'm so tired of it! I really wanted to get something new!"  
"I know what you mean..." Sakura sighed. She turned to Naruto; "But Naruto _has_ to wear the shirt I bought him, right?!"  
"Absolutely!" Ino agreed.  
Hinata nodded shyly.  
"Huh? I do?"  
"Hell yeah! You'll be the most handsome devil there tonight!" Sakura insisted. "Well..." she stole a glance at Sasuke. "Almost..."  
"Who said I was going?" Sasuke protested.  
"I did." Naruto nudged him. "It'll be good for you. And you're missing out on way too much stuff already!"  
Sasuke sighed. "Fine, but on one condition;"  
"What?"  
"You lot let me go when I feel like it. I..."  
"...Hate social events, we know."

As it turned out, Sasuke had nothing to fear.  
Tonight's social event wasn't as bad as he'd first thought. At least not as the evening was coming to a close...

When they first arrived at the Youth Center, they were served a dinner consisting of steamed chicken with rice and vegetables, bread and soup on the side.  
As they ate, a few seniors from the student council took the stage. It was four of them in total; Kotetsu, Izumo, Genma and Raidou. As well as Iruka, who had insisted to join them up there to prevent any 'incidents' as he put it.  
"Good evening everyone!" Genma grabbed the mic, "Firstly, we in the student council would like to thank all of you who are in the committee for helping out during the absolute _hell_ it was to plan this thing!"  
Cheers filled the room.  
Iruka tried to stay calm.  
"Secondly, I want to thank you all for paying the entrance fee and thus financing our Senior class trip this spring!"  
This time there were a few more 'boo's than cheers, but Genma went on, totally unaffected; "I'd also like to thank the band we're lucky enough to have here, for showing up at all, and being willing to play for us. Uhm..." he paused, "And I hope you're enjoying the dinner. I can't really think of anything else to say...So I'd like to be excused now please, so I can go molest Raidou in the dressing room!"  
Cheers and whistles as well as fits of laughter claimed the air.  
Iruka's face almost went blue as he jerked the microphone from the brunette. "That's plenty enough thank you!" he hissed, handing it over to Izumo, who was by far the most reliable member of the student council.  
The teen was laughing as he accepted the mic, "Uh...We don't really need that kind of information Genma...But thanks for sharing!"  
They laughed harder.  
"Seriously though, we've all worked so hard to put this thing together, so it means a lot that you all came. And we hope you'll have fun! Also, I'd like to thank the teachers who were willing to sacrifice their spare time to come here as chaperones. It means a lot, doesn't it?!"  
The crowd of students clapped and cheered.  
Kotetsu snagged the mic, grinning. "Well of course! In example...It means that we're not able to sneak in any alcohol, but you'd _never_ try that right?!"  
Hysterical laughter.  
"It also means that there'll be no opportunities for anyone to sneak away for some...'privacy'," he grinned at his classmate; "Sorry to disappoint you Genma!"  
Iruka looked like he was about to faint. He had to support himself on a speaker.  
"And basically it means that there is no way any of you will get wasted, laid, beaten up or murdered tonight. So let's hear it once more for the teachers!"  
Loud cheering filled the room once again.  
"Finally, I'd like to give my own thanks to the committee, who of course will volunteer to stay and clean the inevitable mess afterwards." he smiled sweetly, "It's nice to know that people like you exist! I suppose we can all count on you for the New Year's ball? It's only five months away! We should start the planning sometime this week if we want to have the plans ready before January!"  
More laughter.  
"Thanks everyone!" he put the microphone back in its place, and the four students returned to their table.  
Iruka wobbled over to the mic stand. "Thanks boys..." he frowned. "I guess...they said it all, huh? Uhm...After dinner you'll be asked to leave this room for a bit so we can clear the dance floor and open the doors to the patio. When that's done, there'll be dancing and eventually a barbeque until it all ends around midnight."

A short twenty minutes after dinner, the band took the stage, and introduced themselves as a band with no particular style, that played everything from original songs, to covers on request.  
They weren't awfully good, but their music set the mood, and pretty soon the dance floor was full of kids moving to the beats.  
Sakura and Ino were off swinging themselves, and Kiba too.  
Naruto loved to dance, but he didn't feel comfortable, asking any of the girls to dance, and he didn't want to get attention by dancing by himself.  
Or maybe those were both excuses to the fact that he knew Sasuke hated these things, and hat he didn't want to leave the Uchiha by himself?  
Of course he knew that Sasuke was able to take care of himself, but...

He stuck by the raven's side most of the night. Now and again he sang along to the song they played, nodding his head to the beat, but he didn't leave Sasuke.  
He could see Iruka talking to Kakashi over by the door.  
The two of them were laughing at something. And Kakashi reached out, brushing something from Iruka's shoulder. He smiled, whilst still miming the words to the song.  
He wished Gaara had been here. Then they'd probably spent their time wondering what kind of relationship the two teachers had with each other, and most likely they'd tried to unravel the mystery.  
"Dobe, what are you doing?" Sasuke asked him, frowning.  
"What?" Naruto shouted, to drown out the loud music.  
"If you want to dance; dance!"  
"I don't!"  
"Yes you do! So what the hell are you doing?!"  
"I'm keeping you company Sasuke-teme!"  
Their gazes met. Naruto glared defiantly at Sasuke, and was about to shout something again when Sakura came over to them.  
"Naruto!" she called out, reaching him her hand.  
"Sorry, I'm a wallflower tonight!" Naruto smiled.  
"That won't do blondie!" she shook her head, grabbing his hand. "You owe me a dance, remember!"  
Naruto sighed. But he really _did_ want to dance with her.  
The look Sasuke sent him seemed to be saying 'I told you so'.  
Resigning, Naruto followed the girl onto the floor.  
He had to admit that it felt nice to get a little loose; moving himself to the music with her.  
Sakura's hand took his again, he spun her around, and dipped her backwards. She laughed towards him. He laughed back.  
"I didn't think you could really dance!" he caught Sakura's voice through the music.  
He grinned. "Less talking," he pulled her close and sent her twirling back out on the floor. "More dancing!"  
Sakura laughed louder. She caught Kiba's hand, allowing him to lead her to the beat before sending her back to the blonde.

Naruto and Sakura danced a total of three dances, before the girl announced she needed a break and a drink. They retreated to the table.  
Sasuke, Shino and Shikamaru sat there, not saying a word.  
"Where's Hinata?" Sakura asked, looking around.  
Ino appeared at her side, "What's wrong?"  
"Hinata isn't here..."  
"Didn't you guys see where she went?" Ino asked. Shikamaru and Shino shook their heads.  
"She went in that direction," Sasuke said, pointing towards the ladies' room.  
"Thanks Sasuke-kun!" Sakura smiled.  
She took Naruto's hand, placing it in Ino's. "Here, dance with Naruto!" she practically ordered. "I'll go look for her."  
The blonde girl looked at her new dance partner. "Ah, why not! Let's go Naruto!"  
Again the blonde found himself being dragged out onto the dance floor. And again he lost himself in the music, crowd and fun.

Meanwhile, Sakura'd made her way into the bathroom, where she found Hinata.  
The gentle girl was standing before one of the mirrors, she looked sad, Sakura noted.  
"Hinata?"  
The Hyuuga winced, turning around; "S-Sakura!"  
"Why are you in here? We didn't see you leave!" Sakura looked at the shorter girl. "Is something wrong? We got worried..."  
"It's nothing..." Hinata whispered.  
"It has to be something. You were perfectly ok before I went to dance with Na-" it dawned on Sakura. "Oh God, you like Naruto, don't you?"  
Hinata didn't reply. She turned her head away from her friend, but her reflection showed off the telltale scarlet that claimed the pale skin in her face.  
"Hinata, I didn't know!" Sakura took the other girl's hand. "I didn't mean to...I'm really sorry!"  
Hinata shook her head. "It's ok..." she said softly. "Naruto-kun doesn't know anyway...A-and..."  
"No, it's not ok!" Sakura almost yelled. "I should have noticed! _You_ should be the one dancing with him! Not Ino and I!"  
She grabbed a tissue, starting to dab gently at the other girl's smeared make-up. She must have been crying. That made Sakura feel even worse.  
"S-Sakura..." Hinata protested meekly. "H-he's not going to want to dance with me anyway..."  
"Don't say such stupid things!" Sakura scolded. "Of course he'll want to dance with you! But you see, Naruto is a bit...stupid. You have to be firm and clear with him!"  
Hinata looked even more lost at that statement.  
"There you go," Sakura regarded her work. "You're good as new."  
She hugged her friend. "I'm so sorry. I should have noticed...But I'll make it up!" she took Hinata's hand and dragged her out of the bathroom.  
The band was playing a calm song now.  
"Perfect!" Sakura giggled. Dragging Hinata along, she went over to Ino and Naruto, who were still dancing. She patted Ino on the shoulder. "Is it okay if Hinata takes over?"  
Ino looked confused, but nodded, stepping aside.  
Naruto smiled. "Everyone wants a piece of me tonight, eh?"  
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Don't go there _Uzumaki_!"  
Naruto simply laughed at her, taking Hinata's hand, just as the song ended and glided over into a different, slow song. "May I?"  
She blushed harder than ever.  
"Y-yes..."  
Carefully Naruto placed his hand on her back, pulling her closer.  
Hinata looked like she was about to faint.

Sakura grabbed Ino's hand, pulling her aside.  
"What was that about?" Ino demanded.  
"I'm playing match maker!" Sakura explained.  
"Matchm- Oooh!" Ino's expression dissolved into a grin.  
"Did you know she liked him?"  
Ino shook her head. "No, but when you think of it...It makes sense! She's always so quiet and shy when Naruto is around!"  
"I know! I can't believe we didn't realize sooner!"  
Ino sighed. "Yeah, I guess we're really oblivious..."  
"Not as much as loverboy over there..." Sakura shook her head.  
Ino giggled. "True, but it's looking good, isn't it?"

They glanced over at the couple on the dance floor.  
They were moving slowly to the music, Naruto being the perfect gentleman; leading his partner, hand on her back, cheek resting atop her head.  
Hinata seemed to be floating on clouds.

Once the dance was over, Naruto thanked for the dance, kissing Hinata's hand, before returning to the table, and Sasuke.  
Only, Sasuke wasn't there...  
"Uh...Did you guys see where Sasuke went?" he asked.  
"Nope..." Kiba replied.  
Neither of the others knew either.  
"Ah jeez... That idiot," Naruto growled. "If he comes back here, don't let him go anywhere!"  
He trawled off, to look for the Uchiha.  
"Dude, what's with his obsession with Sasuke?" Kiba wondered, coming back from the patio with a grill spit. The others shrugged.  
"You think it's true..?"  
"Don't be stupid Kiba," Shikamaru snorted. "You saw him out there with Hinata. That rumor is _not_ true, I guarantee it."  
The girls came over to them, Hinata still a little flushed.  
"Where's Naruto?" Ino sat down on a chair.  
"He went looking for Sasuke..."  
"Sasuke-kun's gone?!" Ino and Sakura both shrilled. They'd both hoped to be able to dance with him.

Just then, Lee came striding across the floor.  
"Sakura!" he practically yelled.  
Sakura's eye twitched. "Hi, Lee...I was just-"  
"Would you do me the honor?" Lee asked, calmer this time, reaching her his hand.  
Sakura sighed, but finally smiled and took his hand. "I'd love to."  
Lee was practically glowing as he lead her out onto the dance floor.

Naruto had almost given up when he turned the corner outside the youth center.  
He'd looked for Sasuke pretty much everywhere inside the building, and the boy wasn't out on the patio or the lawn outside either. The only thing he'd found was Genma and Raidou in a pretty intense lip lock under the staircase, but that was pretty much expected.  
He'd began cursing the Uchiha for leaving without saying a word; one thing was to allow that Sasuke could leave whenever he wanted, another was for Sasuke to just take off without letting them know. But then Sasuke's voice came behind him.  
"Looking for someone?"  
"Sasuke!" Naruto twirled around. "You scared me!"  
"Hn," Sasuke smirked. "You know, for someone who wants to keep me company...You're not much company at all."  
"You're the one who told me to dance!" Naruto struck up his defense.  
Sasuke shook his head. "I'm kidding dobe, I just went out here to get some air... I started to feel a little light headed in there..."  
"Yeah, me too." Naruto said. He stepped closer to where Sasuke was standing, by the grove of trees, next to the parking lot.  
They couldn't see anything around the corner of the Youth Center, but the music was still flowing through the open doors, into the night.  
"Still," Naruto said, "You could've said that yo-" he stumbled over a rock, and lost balance.  
Sasuke caught him, his hands resting safely on Naruto's upper arms.  
The blonde looked up at him, staring into dark eyes filled with laughter and resignation.  
Without thinking, he leaned his forehead on Sasuke's chest.  
The Uchiha winced, but didn't deny him to do so.  
Slightly hesitant, Sasuke's hands moved, from Naruto's arms to his waist.  
He pulled Naruto closer.  
His fingers brushed over the fabric of the signal-orange shirt Naruto wore over a black tee. A shirt that would look disastrous on anyone other than Naruto.

The blonde allowed his own arms to move as well, at first only to rest around Sasuke's own waist, as he inhaled the scent of him... And realized how much he'd been thinking of him since that kiss... And how easily the pieces seemed to fit now.  
_"Gaara should've known..."_ he thought, letting his arms move higher, coming to rest around Sasuke's neck. The way they stood now, swaying slightly with their bodies pressed tightly together and the music playing in the background...It was almost as if they were dancing.  
Sasuke seemed to be thinking the same.  
His grip tightened. The raven took a careful step to the left. Naruto followed.  
One step after another, without saying a word.  
It was almost...hopelessly romantic.  
Sasuke's breath was in Naruto's hair, parting the sunkissed strands, tickling slightly.  
They swayed gently.  
Naruto felt Sasuke's heart beat hard in his chest. His own seemed to be pounding so much harder. He swallowed, turning his head, his ear pressing even more against Sasuke's shirt.  
"Sasuke..." he whispered, his voice raw and nervous. "I've been thinking..."  
Sasuke nodded, without letting him go.  
Naruto's hands gripped tighter at Sasuke's shirt. He swallowed hard, looking up at the Uchiha.  
"Sasuke," he said again.  
"Hmm?" deep, dark eyes looked down at him.  
"Kiss me..." his voice was barely audible, but Sasuke heard it.  
He leaned down, his fringe falling before his eyes, brushing against Naruto's cheek.  
Their lips met, tentatively, questioning.  
And just as that happened, everything felt so_ right!_  
Naruto let his eyes slide shut. Sasuke's lips were warm and soft on his own.  
Their lips parted and met again.  
Carefully, Sasuke let his tongue run over Naruto's lower lip, whilst he nipped gently at it.  
Chills went down Naruto's spine. His nails clawed at Sasuke's shirt collar.  
He parted his lips more, allowing Sasuke's tongue to meet with his own.  
A soft noise escaped his throat, as Sasuke pulled him even closer, his hand fisting in the tousles of blonde.

Seconds later, the kiss broke.  
They stood gazing at each other, not saying a word.  
Naruto's cheeks were tinted with red. He licked his lips, which still tasted of Sasuke.  
"This means...?"  
Sasuke nodded, letting his hand brush Naruto's. "I guess so..."  
Naruto smiled. "Good."  
"Good?" Sasuke smiled back.  
Naruto nodded. "Yeah," he leaned towards Sasuke, catching his lips once again. "Good..."  
"Good." Sasuke repeated. "Now, can we please leave?"  
The blonde chuckled. "Yeah, we can leave. Let's just tell the others first, so they don't get worried, 'kay?"  
"Okay." Sasuke let go of the blonde, _his_ blonde.

The atmosphere around them indicated that both of them wanted to walk back inside, holding hands, but neither took the initiative.  
It was new and it was strange.  
Not to mention dangerous.  
And it was secret. Right now, it was a secret between the two of them, something only they knew. And it felt nice.

"Naruto! Sasuke-kun! Where were you?"  
"Outside, getting some air." Naruto said, unable to hold back his smile.  
"Oh, want to dance some more?"  
"Not really," Naruto shook his head. "I'm kinda tired, and Sasuke's going now anyway, so I'm hitching a ride."  
Disappointment was written all over Ino and Sakura's faces.  
"Oh..."  
"Sorry."  
"Sakura!" Lee was back, with drinks from the vending machine in the hall. "Here."  
Sakura shook her head looking at Naruto and Sasuke, "Don't worry about it, we'll be fine without you. Right?"  
The others nodded.  
"Alright, see you later then." Naruto said, hugging each of the three girls. Hinata having to be supported by Ino afterwards.  
"Bye," Sasuke said.

They walked across the parking lot, towards Sasuke's car.  
Naruto wasn't sure what to say now. He wasn't sure words were needed at all. And he wasn't sure he knew what had happened.

Several times on the way back, he caught himself staring at Sasuke, wondering if the raven was any more aware of what had just happened than he was. But Sasuke's eyes were fixated on the road. When he parked however, he turned to Naruto.  
"I'm glad you talked me into coming tonight," he said.  
"I'm glad you came." Naruto replied.  
"I guess...I'll see you?"  
Naruto nodded. "Yeah..." he moved in closer, ending the awkward silence with a kiss.  
A kiss that was so gentle at first...Only to grow hard, possessive and intense.  
Sasuke's hand was in his hair, just as his was tangling in ebony locks.  
Their tongues met; brushing over each other, exploring, tasting.  
Naruto was certain that nothing could feel better than this.  
When he finally pulled away, his head was spinning.  
He didn't want to leave, he thought. He didn't want to get out of Sasuke's car, but he knew that he had no choice. If he didn't come home, he'd only worry them all.  
"I'll call you," Sasuke said, his voice different from usual.  
Naruto nodded. "Okay..."  
He placed another hasty kiss on Sasuke's lips, before finding the door handle, letting himself out of the car. "Bye," he said, smiling softly.  
"Bye." Sasuke replied, starting the car.  
Naruto watched him drive off.  
He touched his fingers to his lips.  
"...Strange..." he mumbled.

* * *

The Uchiha manor was dark, but Sasuke didn't care, as he unlocked the door.  
He flipped the light switch for the hall and staircase.  
He felt warm. It was all so surreal.  
And all the emotions that had washed over him... They all seemed unreal to him.  
But Naruto's lips on his, that had been real. He smiled slightly.

He headed up the stairs, pleased with the way the night had turned out.  
And then, he thought he heard someone talking to him.  
He paused, looking around. There was no one here.  
But still...  
"Did you have fun, Sasuke?" the voice was so familiar...  
He spun around, surveying the hallway and staircase, but the house was still just as empty.  
"Itachi...?" he asked quietly, uttering his brother's name for the first time in years.

* * *

TBC.  
The plot thickens, kukuku


	10. Shichigatsu part 2

****

Author's notes:

This was a REALLY hard chapter! I didn't have any real notes on how to make it work, and it felt sort of strange to suddenly have Naruto and Sasuke as a couple. It still does actually. Hopefully though, it looks better than it sounds in my head. xx

The working title it went under was 'Late Shichigatsu, come Hachigatsu', but as I reached 40 pages I realized that it would be _at least_ 60-70, maybe even 80 pages long if I was to incorporate both the end of July and all of August in one chapter. So I ended up changing it at the last minute.

Oh, and I had a fever while writing the last fifteen pages, so I'm sorry for any incoherence. And I'd like to apologize for the sparring scene. I suck at writing action scenes, so I had the boyfriend act it out for me while I wrote it down... If it's weird, then I'm sorry.

**Warnings:**

Lots and lots of boykissing, touching, groping etc.

Oh, and warnings for drunk Temari and Lee xD

* * *

****

Shichigatsu:

- part 2

"Itachi...?"  
Sasuke stopped, and slowly went back down stairs again.  
He turned on the lights and looked in every room.  
But the house was empty; silent as a grave.

Standing in the middle of the hall, he shook his head.  
He was certain he'd heard his brother's voice. And he recognized it, even after so many years.  
Still, there was no one in the house, aside from him.  
Could it be that he'd imagined it?  
That was strange though...he'd never done anything like it before.

Sasuke made his way up the stairs again, constantly looking over his shoulder, surveying the dark hallway on the second floor.  
He saw nothing.  
Slightly hesitant, he cast a glance at the door that lead to what had been Itachi's room. Carefully he slid it open, his heart pounding in his chest.  
As he peeked inside the room, he was half expecting to see Itachi sitting on the bed, or by his desk. But the room was empty, quiet.

He closed the door again.  
To be on the safe side, he checked the rest of the rooms on the second floor as well, with just as little result.

He retreated to his own room, falling down on the bed.  
Of course Itachi wasn't here!  
That was ridiculous!  
Sasuke took a deep breath and exhaled.  
He was just tired... and overwhelmed.  
That had to be it.  
It was no wonder either...  
He thought of the things that had happened tonight; the mini drama among the group, how Naruto had literally fallen into his arms and made no effort to pull away.  
The blonde had been nervous, he knew that, he'd felt his heartbeat. And it was clear in his voice when he whispered those words, and asked for Sasuke to kiss him.  
They'd kissed.  
A mutual kiss this time.  
And then again in his car...  
Sasuke's lips felt cold now, but he still felt the touch of Naruto's on them; the blonde's scent and taste was clear in his mind.  
He smiled.  
Of course he'd be a little out of it...  
He was still confused, and maybe not fully aware of what had happened yet, but he felt warm...and relieved.  
Happy?

Yes, he realized, he felt happy.  
Right now at this moment, he was happy.  
So, had he imagined Itachi's voice because of that?  
Because ever since he was little, or rather when he'd been little, there was only one person he would confide in and want to tell everything that was going on with him.  
He'd wanted Itachi to ask that question whenever he went somewhere. So that when he came back, and Itachi asked, he could share his happiness with him...  
Was that what this had been about?  
It made sense...but it didn't make Sasuke feel any calmer. Hearing voices was a bad sign, no matter what the motive behind it was.  
He sighed.

His past washed over him, as he lay staring up at the roof.  
He clenched his eyes shut, wanting to forget.  
It didn't work.  
He turned on the bed, burying his head in his pillow.  
But the shortage of breath had him turning his head again. His eyes ran to the nightstand.  
Rising slightly, supporting his weight on his elbow, he pulled open the drawer, and took out a small square of glossy paper.  
Looking at it lured out the smile on his lips again.  
From the picture, Naruto was grinning at him, his finger pressing lightly on Sasuke's own cheek.  
The raven absentmindedly ran his hand through his hair.  
He wondered what Naruto thought about now, after tonight.

That thought in mind, he sat up properly, before standing, grabbing an empty glass from the nightstand, and made his way into the bathroom.  
He filled the glass to the brim, and took out the pill container from the bathroom shelf.

* * *

"What are you smiling about?"

Naruto blinked twice, "Huh?"  
"You're smiling like an idiot," Gaara said. "Did something happen at the dance?"  
"Pft!" Naruto said, pulling the black tee over his head just as the blush crept over his face, "Like what?"  
"I dunno," Gaara shrugged, stepping over to him, finishing the job for Naruto; jerking the shirt over his head, throwing it into a corner. His light eyes locked to Naruto's. "You tell me."  
Naruto sighed, taking a deep breath. "Okay," he said dramatically, "I'll tell you..."  
Gaara nodded, waiting for him to start talking.  
"Well, Genma and Kotetsu made the speech of a century, and it nearly killed Iruka-sensei. You should've seen him! He was _blue_!" Naruto laughed.  
Gaara frowned, this was not the kind of news he had meant. But the blonde went on;  
"Kakashi-sensei spent the rest of the night trying to calm him down, I think it worked, because he seemed to get happier. I should've stayed longer, and found out if they went home together..." he rambled.  
"Why'd you leave already?" Gaara probed.  
"Sasuke wanted to leave."  
Gaara pursed his lips, smirking.  
"I needed a ride, sheesh Gaara, you have such a dirty mind!" the blonde babbled, "I was waaay too tired to walk home!"  
"And why is that?" Gaara asked, with amusement in his voice.  
"Well," Naruto wiggled his eyebrows. "I am very popular with the ladies, you see..."  
Gaara rolled his eyes.  
"It's true! I danced so much my feet are killing me!"  
"I didn't know you danced?"  
"Are you kidding? I've got mad skills!"  
Naruto thought he spotted disbelief in his friend's expression.  
"How did you acquire such skills if I may ask?" the red demanded, still sounding doubtful.  
"Heh," Naruto grinned, "Never underestimate the power of DDR."  
"Tch," Gaara's lips curved upwards. "I should have known."  
"You should," Naruto agreed, "I am, after all, the undefeated champion!"  
Gaara merely shook his head.  
After a while he asked; "What about Uchiha? Did he dance?" he just _had_ to know; Sasuke didn't exactly seem like the School Dance type at all.  
Naruto shrugged, "He did dance one dance..."  
He bit his lip, waiting for the inquiry.  
"Really?" Gaara looked stunned, "Impressive."  
It didn't come. Naruto was relieved.  
Gaara didn't need to know. Not yet.  
And he wanted to keep it to himself a little longer anyhow.

When the lights went out, he smiled to himself, pulling the covers closer.

Not so long ago, he'd been struggling to achieve Sasuke's friendship. He'd been certain there was no way the Uchiha would turn 180 and become his best friend...

What was this then?  
There wasn't any logic to it at all really...  
But logic was like dew to the sun to the blonde right now; all he knew was that Sasuke was warm, tasted sweet, and kissed like a god.

And that was all he needed to know.

* * *

Naruto's heart skipped a beat the next morning, when he came out of the drive way to find Sasuke's car parked on the side of the road.  
Sasuke himself seemed to be sleeping in his seat, when Naruto peeked in the window.  
Nervously, he tapped the glass.  
Sasuke stirred, and opened the door for him. "Sorry," he yawned, "Get in."  
Naruto climbed into the passenger seat.  
There was a long silence.  
Naruto stared at the road, at Sasuke and then out the window again.  
The Uchiha wasn't much different. His eyes flickering between the blonde and the road.  
Naruto turned to him again, "Hey, Sasuke?"  
"Hn?" their eyes met.  
"It's okay right...?"  
"What is?" Sasuke asked.  
Naruto leaned in closer.  
He closed his eyes, parted his lips. And kissed Sasuke carefully.

The fox pulled away.  
"To do that..?"  
Sasuke's shoulders sank. He gave a slight smile.  
"Yeah," he said, touching his hand to Naruto's. He moved it upwards, letting it rest on the back of his head. And then pulled Naruto close again; biting lightly down on the blonde's bottom lip before releasing him.  
"It's perfectly ok to do that."

"Heh," Naruto smiled, "Ok, I was just checking."  
"Checking?" Sasuke repeated, "For what?" there was laughter in his voice.  
"To see if you'd start yelling at me..."  
"If anyone is supposed to worry about that, it should be me!" Sasuke exclaimed. "You're the one who freaked out and ran off the last time, remember?"  
Naruto rubbed his neck, "Yeah, but... You're no easy person to understand you know."  
Sasuke started the car.  
"You're allowed to kiss me." was his only reply.

* * *

"So, did you guys stay long after we left last night?" Naruto asked, leaning over to Sakura's desk.  
"About an hour longer," she replied.  
"Long enough to see Tsunade throwing out Genma and Raidou though," Kiba grinned.  
"Granny Tsunade was there?" Naruto asked.  
"She showed up after you left, apparently she'd been busy earlier."  
"Yeah," Naruto snorted, "Gambling!"  
He sobered, "So she threw them out?"  
"Yeah, did you expect otherwise?"  
Naruto shrugged, "Not really... I saw them under the stairs when I went looking for Sasuke."  
"Well," Shikamaru yawned, "Rumor has it they were doing more than just making out when she caught them."  
Naruto's eyes widened, "I miss all the fun!"  
"So does Tsunade," Ino smirked, "Because I heard that while she was busy with those two, Deidara-sensei snuck off with that guy..."  
"What guy?" Naruto asked, annoyed. He really _did_ miss out on everything.  
He glanced over at Sasuke. Ok...not _everything_. He smiled.  
"I guess that was the Sasori he was talking about earlier... They seemed pretty intimate."  
"You mean..."  
Ino nodded, "Tenten said she'd spotted them in the hall."  
"So...Deidara's..."  
Ino nodded again, "Seems like it."  
"That," Sasuke said, "Can be discussed."  
"What do you mean, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura wondered, leaning on her elbows.  
"I mean," Sasuke smirked, "Does this Sasori guy know that Deidara is a man?"  
The whole group burst out laughing.

"Silence!" Kurenai stepped into the room, "And before anyone asks; NO, you will not be getting back your exams yet. And most of you should be thankful for that." she shook her head.  
The class settled down, falling back into the normal routine.  
Though it didn't last long. Other classes, like Neji's were still having exams, so both Asuma and Kakashi were busy, and left them with nothing to do from lunch and until they were done for the day.  
Officially it was Study Hour for four hours straight, but no one bothered to actually _do _anything.  
Mostly, conversation revolved around last night.

Every time Naruto snuck a glance over at Sasuke, he'd notice something about him he hadn't noticed before, like how a few strands of hair from his fringe had gone astray, and were hanging in front of his left eye. Every time Sasuke blinked, they would sway a little, and cling to his lashes. Also, he couldn't help but notice how the raven would purse his lips slightly, pressing his pencil against his chin when he paused, seemingly pondering over a problem.  
Because even though everyone were chatting excitedly, Sasuke kept working with the extra homework they'd been given, just so the teachers would still feel they were doing their job.

As if it wasn't bad enough that they were already giving them home work over summer.  
The thought of that faded however, when he looked at the Uchiha.  
It was strange, Naruto thought, that just a few kisses could change everything so radically; he'd noticed all these things about Sasuke before too, but they just seemed clearer now. His gaze was constantly drawn to the raven.

Was it really possible to fall so quickly after something so little?

As if the kisses they shared weren't a big deal... When he'd first asked Sasuke to kiss him, and then when he _did_, Naruto had thought his heart would explode, or at least pound its way out of his chest...  
He looked at Sasuke's lips, longing to feel them on his own again.  
Sasuke didn't look back at him.  
Instead he was torn from his daze, by Sakura; "Naruto! Are you listening?!"  
"Huh?!"  
The girl frowned, "You want to come with us after school? We've all got some errands at the mall."  
"Sasuke-kuun!" Ino leaned over Sauke's desk, "What about you?"  
"Sorry," Sasuke replied without even looking up, "I can't."  
"Me neither..." Naruto said. He glanced over at the Uchiha, who still didn't look up at him.  
If Sasuke wasn't coming he didn't want to go either. Partly because he sort of wanted the two of them to be alone... He felt a blush creeping up his neck just thinking about it. And partly because he was sure he'd be spacing out constantly, and he didn't want to deal with questions.  
They were used to him having to go straight home and stuff, so he was spared the inquiry on why. Sasuke, on the other hand, wasn't.  
Sasuke was used to that by now, and had long since become a champion at brushing them off without so much as giving a hint as to why he couldn't join them.

"Sasuke!" he chased the raven out on the parking lot.  
Sasuke halted, allowing him to catch up.  
"Are you busy?" Naruto asked him, slightly hesitant.  
Sasuke shrugged.  
"'Cos in there..."  
"That was just to get away from the nagging," Sasuke replied, starting to walk towards his car.  
"So, you're not busy?"  
"Not really."  
"Then..."  
"Get in," Sasuke said, unlocking the car, "Let's go somewhere."  
"Where?"  
"It doesn't matter, does it?" the raven asked him.  
He just wanted to get out of there, without having to go back home. "Well?" he asked impatiently.  
"I guess not..." the blonde shrugged, getting in the vehicle.  
Anticipation rose inside of him. He glanced at Sasuke, meeting his gaze.  
A slight awkwardness arose; they'd hardly talked since yesterday...instead... Naruto's lip quirked, he laughed softly.  
"What are you laughing at, dobe?" Sasuke asked, turning his head to look out the back as he put the car in reverse.  
"Nothing," Naruto replied, he scowled, "You're still calling me dobe, Sasuke-teme?!"  
"Of course," the raven said smugly, "It's a pet name."  
"Bastard."

* * *

"Have you seen Naruto?"  
Gaara yawned, turning his gaze from the TV, to look at Chiyo.  
"No," he shook his head.  
"So you don't know if he was going anywhere today? After school?"  
"No," Gaara gave the remote to Moegi, who instantly switched the channels to a children's channel. More kids flocked around the TV.  
"Could you call him dear? I just want to know where he is."  
The red nodded, taking out his phone.

He sat on the stone steps outside.  
While he waited for Naruto to pick up, he noticed some of the kids flocking around Neji on the lawn. The brunette had been let out of school early, and had turned up at their door with a bunch of forms he needed Chiyo to fill out.

Finally, after nearly five minutes of the annoying tone in the other end, Naruto picked up;  
_"Hey Gaara!"  
_He sounded like he was eating.  
"Where are you? People are worried."  
_"I'm...at Ichiraku's,"_ Naruto's cheery voice toned down a bit,_ "I forgot to call, sorry... Are you supposed to order me back home?"  
_"No, we were just wondering where you'd taken off to," Gaara yawned again, his eyes watching Neji and the kids; they seemed very excited, pulling on his jacket, jumping up and down.  
"Are you with Iruka-sensei? Since you're at Ichiraku's?"  
_"No,"_ Naruto swallowed in the other end, _"I'm with Sasuke-teme,"  
_"Sasuke?" Gaara failed to hold back the surprise. "Again?"  
_"Yeah, we came here after school! He's been nice enough to treat me to three bowls already!"  
_Gaara caught Sasuke's voice through the phone; _'A mistake I'll never make again. I didn't know you were such a bottomless pit...'  
_

At that point Gaara stopped listening.  
His eyes wandered again.  
The children had stepped slightly away from Neji now; they stood watching, as the teen stretched out an arm, his palm facing towards where Gaara was sitting.  
He looked very focused, taking the first step to the left.  
Then, at impressive speed, he whirled around, striking into the air while counting out loud.  
Each movement was perfected to the slightest, Gaara noticed, every step carefully planned, swift, but powerful. And Neji's expression stayed the same; just as concentrated.  
It was like watching some sort of dance...

_"So yeah, I'll be home soon I guess..." _Naruto went on in the other end,_ "We're gonna finish eating and then maybe we'll..."_ he continued, Gaara not catching a single word. He was far too taken with the other teen.  
"Alright," he said absentmindedly. "Don't be late, kay?"  
_"I won't. Bye."  
_There was a click.  
Gaara lowered the phone, slowly putting it back into his pocket.

Konohamaru and the others were yelling and laughing over on the lawn.  
They were begging Neji to do it again, Gaara guessed that much. He failed to hold back a smile when a few of the boys tried to mimic the Hyuuga.  
He could see Neji smiling.  
Smiling, and agreeing to show them again.

The red stood.  
He made his way over to them, but refrained from coming too close. He preferred to watch from a distance.  
Neji spun, counted, let his gentle strikes pierce the air surrounding him.  
And when he stopped, he stared straight into Gaara's aquamarine eyes.  
He smiled slightly, straightening his back.

"Isn't it awesome Gaara-nii?!"  
"Isn't Neji cool?!"  
"I bet _you_ can't do that!"  
Gaara's hand brushed through Konohamaru's hair. He took advantage of the situation; pushing the boy carefully so he fell down onto the grass.

"That little rascal was showing off his karate skills," Neji explained, "I offered to show him mine."  
"But that wasn't karate?"  
Neji shook his head.  
"What's it called?" the red's voice was slightly different from normal, shaky in a way.  
"It's technique developed by the ancestors of my family..." Neji started, "This one is called _Hakke Rokujūyon Shō_, if done correctly, it's known to be able to cut off the opponents chakra flow..." he paused.  
Gaara didn't seem about to interrupt him, asking about chakra, so the Hyuuga figured the red had some experience with martial arts himself. Or at least that he hadn't just blown it off as nonsense, like most other teens these days.  
"It has a rather peculiar name though," he smirked, "For a fighting style that can be so dangerous..."

Gaara's chest tightened slightly.  
"Tell me," he heard himself asking. He said it in such a mechanical way.  
Like he was spellbound by the other's words.  
Neji's pale eyes caught his, held them in a stern gaze.  
"The Gentle Fist."

The words struck Gaara like lightning.  
And he had no idea why.  
His chest tightened even harder. And Neji's gaze was still holding his.

* * *

"Uwaaah!" Naruto patted his stomach, grinning from ear to ear, "I'm stuffed!"  
"Thank God..." Sasuke mumbled, leaving money on the counter as he dragged the blonde away from the ramen stand.

"I probably could have handled another portion though..." Naruto pointed out, walking next to Sasuke down the street.  
"Well, my wallet couldn't," Sasuke said frowning.  
"Don't worry about it," Naruto grinned, "Thanks for treating me!"  
"I treated you to the first one, dobe," the raven's dark eyes wandered, "The fifty next were basically you ordering and me paying,"  
"What kind of way is that to thank me for our first date?" Naruto hissed.  
"Excuse me..._Date?"  
_"Well, that's what it's called, when a couple go out like this, moron." Naruto lowered his voice, so no one would hear, his cheeks flushing as he spoke the words.  
Sasuke barely heard him; his eyes were focused at a street corner where he was certain he'd seen someone he knew pass by.  
"Sasuke-teme?" Naruto shook him gently.  
"Oh...Couple...Right," Sasuke shook his head, collecting himself enough to look at the blonde.  
He _had_ to keep himself from spacing out like this, or the blonde would think that he...  
Sasuke didn't want Naruto to think that he didn't care about him.  
The way things were now, with the chaos inside of him, the only thing he was certain of, was that one thing.  
If Naruto started to doubt that fact, he was in trouble, without doubt.  
"Sasuke...You're acting weird. Are you ok? Did you see a ghost or something?"  
A shadow blew over the raven's face, "Don't worry," he said, forcing a smile, "I guess this _does_ count as a date..."  
Naruto eyed him nervously. "Is there anything...wrong with that?"  
Sasuke shrugged, "I just thought it would be different. I didn't want to take you to Ichiraku's of all places!"  
The fox grinned, "I don't mind if we have _every_ date there!"  
"Negative," Sasuke walked on.  
Naruto rushed after him; "Wait up! I'm too stuffed to run! SASUKE-TEME!"

Sasuke's entire body felt heavy when he dragged himself inside the house.  
He'd been dreading the moment when he and Naruto had to part all day.  
It was ridiculous he realized; all of a sudden, they had moved on from being in a friends and rivals type of relationship, to being in a _relationship. _Here he was, kissing in the car, staring at the blonde's lips, taking him out on a _date_...  
And yet, despite all of those things being so very un-Sasuke, it wasn't what bothered him.  
What bothered him was the fact that he suddenly felt so weak without Naruto.  
He'd realized last night, the moment he'd heard - or thought he'd heard Itachi's voice.  
It was horrifying.  
As long as Naruto was nearby, he managed to keep calm and more or less in control of his thoughts, at least if you looked away from his constant urge to touch the blonde as if wanting to make sure that he was real. That this wasn't just another desperate attempt at creating something safe and comforting.

Last night, when he had kissed those lips, and the kiss had been answered, just like this morning, and just like when he'd kissed him in the car just now, before sending him off, he'd known that he was addicted to Naruto now.  
He needed him, like a drug.  
He needed him like he'd sworn that he would never need anyone.

Just a few minutes ago, they'd been in the car.  
Naruto had leaned towards him, smiling shyly.  
As their lips met, and Sasuke's arms went around him, pulling him close, he was sure he'd never let go. He wanted to ask, plead for Naruto to come with him.  
But his pride, a trademark of the Uchiha's, had held him back.  
He didn't want to appear weak. He didn't want anyone to know that he was afraid. Let alone Naruto.  
He didn't want to accept that he needed someone.  
So he'd allowed for the kiss to break, promising Naruto with a smile that he'd see him in the morning. And again he'd seen wondering in those eyes; like Naruto found it hard to understand that it really was the two of them.  
Much like he didn't get it himself.

The door slammed behind him.  
He winced.  
He lined up his shoes nicely, stepping over the threshold, making his way down the hall towards the kitchen.  
He was positive he could hear someone breathing.  
And it wasn't him.

A light flick to his neck had him whirling around, grabbing the spot where he'd thought he'd felt it. The hall behind him was dark and deserted.  
But...  
Didn't someone flick him right now? Like when he was a child.  
He could still remember that tap of a finger on his forehead, just like the sensation that sat in his neck right now.  
"It's your imagination, Sasuke," he said firmly to himself, heading into the kitchen.  
He placed the transparent bag he'd brought with him on the counter, and took out one of the tomatoes inside.  
As he took the first bite, he calmed himself by thinking about Naruto's reaction when he'd bought them;  
"Tomatoes?!"  
"Yeah," Sasuke'd replied, "Tomatoes."  
"_Only_ tomatoes?!"  
"I've got to eat, dobe."  
"Exactly! That's why I'm shocked bastard! You can't live off of tomatoes?!"  
"I had ramen," the raven reminded him.  
"Yeah," Naruto scoffed, "Like one bowl!"  
"Which is why I need the tomatoes," the Uchiha had retorted, "And they're healthier than ramen anyway."  
Naruto had just wrinkled his nose, and left Sasuke to it. As he'd headed down towards the cash register Sasuke had heard him muttering about it. It had made him smile.

But tomatoes were the only thing Sasuke found himself capable of eating these days.  
At least as long as he was at home.  
He didn't bother to spend time and effort making something, and he didn't want anything either. Not since he'd started taking the new meds.  
It was starting to get on his nerves; he didn't eat, partly because he didn't want to, partly because he couldn't. His nausea was starting to wear off, but all the more he suffered; he hardly slept, and he was starting to think he really _was _paranoid.  
They were probably all just side effects, but Sasuke knew that if he told Anko, she'd blow it all out of proportion.

He sighed. The best thing would've been if he could've taken sleeping pills. At least he'd escape for a little while. But these goddamn new pills were never to be mixed with any kind of other medication, including sleeping pills.

Thoughtfully, Sasuke took another bite of the tomato.

He heard footsteps in the stairs.

"No." he said. "You're not hearing that."  
They came back down.  
As if someone was running up and down, looking for something.  
Sasuke swallowed, nearly choking on the tomato.

With his heart beating in his chest, he rushed out of the kitchen, without looking up the staircase.  
He made for the door; barely putting his shoes on as he slammed it shut and locked it.

His breath was heavy as he got in his car.  
"I hate that house..." his voice was trembling.  
He was starting to wonder if it was haunted.  
That wouldn't be a surprise if it proved to be the case.  
But Sasuke didn't believe in ghosts.

His phone buzzed in his pocket.  
Quietly, the Uchiha hoped that it was Naruto, but the display read; 'Kakashi-sensei'. It wasn't who he wanted to talk to, but it had to do.  
He couldn't stand the mansion and the atmosphere there; either crushingly silent, or terrifyingly noisy.  
"Hello?" he asked into the phone.  
_"Sasuke? Are you ok? You sound stressed?" _instant worry filled the teacher's voice.  
"I'm fine, I had to run to get the phone," Sasuke lied.  
_"So you're free? I was wondering if you'd eaten?"  
_Sasuke sighed with relief. He wasn't the slightest bit hungry, but at least this meant he could stay at Kakashi's house for a few hours, and possibly relax.  
As it turned out, something good came out of this arrangement.

* * *

Friday morning, Naruto's phone rang twenty minutes before the alarm clock.

Gaara was the first to notice, and he wasn't pleased.  
"What the hell is that?!" he cursed out loud.  
Once he'd located the source of the sound, he picked it up and flung it at Naruto.  
It wasn't until the phone was in bed with him, buzzing and ringing fiercely, that Naruto noticed it and peered his eyes open.  
Drowsily he flipped it open, saying in a hoarse, woolen voice; "Yeah...?"  
_"Hey, are you awake?"  
_"Hmm? S-Sasuke...?"  
"Oh for fuck's sake!" Gaara snarled over in his bed, hiding under his pillow.  
_"What was that?"  
_"Gaara, he's not a morning person, and..." Naruto yawned, "Neither am I..."  
"Go to hell!" Gaara shouted from under his pillow.  
Naruto rubbed his neck, "Don't mind him, he's just..." he threw one of his pillows at the red. "_cranky!"  
_Sasuke snorted in the other end.  
"What do you want, teme?" Naruto yawned again.  
_"I thought I'd give you a ride to school."  
_"Now?!" Naruto squinted, peeking at the clock.  
_"Well, we don't have to go there now, I just wanted to see you.."_

Naruto felt bad all of a sudden.  
He'd been pissed at Sasuke for brushing him off constantly, and now it was the other way around. Though, he did have more of a reason to be annoyed; unlike Sasuke, he had never called at six thirty in the morning.

"Urgh, ok...Fine...I'm gonna get dressed and grab a sandwich, ok?"  
_"Ok, I'll be down the street."  
_"Fine. See you." he hung up.

"Don't tell me you're actually getting out of bed to see that moron?" Gaara's muffled voice came from under the pillow.  
"I am," Naruto replied, pulling on a pair of pants, "But you can go back to sleep."  
Gaara threw away his pillow, sitting up slightly, he scowled.  
If looks could kill...  
"Sure," he hissed, "I'll go back to sleep..."  
He threw himself back down on the mattress, but both he and Naruto knew he probably wouldn't get any sleep at all. And even if he did, he had classes in two hours.

"You're up early?"  
Naruto yawned, looking at Chiyo. "Yeah," he reached for one of the sandwiches she'd placed on the table, "Sasuke's waiting,"  
"Now?" the old woman asked, surprised.  
Naruto being out of bed before seven thirty was a rarity in itself, but having him stand before her, telling her he was going out to meet with a friend at _six thirty _in the morning had her doubting her own sanity.  
"Yeah. He's right down the street."  
The woman's stern gaze regarded him, "Are you up to no good?"  
"What? No. I think... he probably wants to... go over our home work or something..." Naruto made up the excuse as he went along, stuffing the sandwich in his mouth, grabbing a new one on the way out.  
Chiyo shook her head as the door slammed.  
"Kids..." she mumbled to herself.

"Why the hell are you calling me up at six thirty in the morning?!" Naruto demanded, slamming the car door shut.  
"I wanted to see you," Sasuke replied.  
Naruto's expression softened.  
The Uchiha forced a smile. He couldn't tell Naruto that the reason he was up so early was that he'd distinctly heard his mother calling him down for breakfast this morning.  
And he didn't want to stay in the house for as much as a minute longer.  
"Okay then, Romeo," the fox grinned. "What kind of mind boggling experience do you have planned this morning?"  
"None," Sasuke shrugged.  
"_None?_" Naruto shrilled, "You drag me out of bed, and you haven't even got a reason for it?!"  
"Well," the raven licked his lips, "There is one..."  
"Really?" Naruto glanced over at him, smiling slightly. He was expecting the kiss, he just didn't expect the possessiveness of it; how Sasuke grabbed his shirt, pulling him close, smothering his lips with his own.

It was surprising.  
Suffocating.  
Intoxicating.

He kissed back, parting his lips, tasting Sasuke.  
Tasting the safety that was Sasuke.

It crossed his mind how strange it was for them to be this intimate when they really didn't know much about each other, or at least who they were _now_. It struck him how little they had actually talked since Sasuke had shown up in Konoha; they most they'd done was scream at each other, or talked about pointless things... But along with the soft moan that escaped his lips, those thoughts slipped from his mind.

Sasuke smirked against the blonde's lips, he deepened the kiss, and relaxed.  
When they were like this he completely forgot everything else.  
The hand clenching Naruto's shirt let go of its grip, sliding down instead, resting at the blonde's waist. He wanted to slip it underneath the shirt, to feel Naruto's skin, but he refrained from it.

Breaking the kiss, his lips aimed for the spot right under Naruto's jawline, where the neck began. He pressed his lips softly to the tanned skin, loving the way Naruto tilted his head slightly so he could reach better. The gentle kiss grew harder, his tongue brushing over the skin. He could feel Naruto's pulse increasing under the touch of his lips.

Naruto's lips parted slightly, letting out a gasp.  
His hand clenched Sasuke's shirt, pulling at it. How could anything feel so good?  
Sasuke's lips, his tongue, his breath... It tickled, and it burned.  
He gasped again, as Sasuke's lips moved lower.  
"S-Sasu..." he whispered, swallowing.  
Chills shot up and down his spine, his grip on Sasuke's shirt tightened.  
Sasuke's lips moved from his neck, he pulled Naruto's shirt aside, starting to kiss his collarbone; it was as if he couldn't get enough of him.  
No, Sasuke _knew_ he couldn't get enough of Naruto.  
He emptied his head, filling it with nothing but the taste, scent and everything else that was Naruto and the atmosphere in this car. He didn't want to stop; he wanted to keep tasting him forever; that peculiar taste... Yet, when Naruto breathed; "Sasuke...Wait..." he stopped.

He looked at the blonde, questioning.  
Naruto was breathing heavily, his eyes slightly glazed. A red mark was forming on his neck.  
He waited, for Naruto to tell him they were moving too fast, or something along those lines, only to be pulled into another kiss; shyer than his own, tentative and inexperienced, but still so addictive.

Minutes later they allowed their lips to part.  
Naruto looked so perfect at this moment; innocent; dazzling blue eyes that were hazy and dreamy, cheeks that were tinted pink, and that mark on his neck that said so clearly that the blonde was _his_.  
Sasuke smirked.  
If Naruto zipped up his sweater, no one would be able to see it, but _he_ knew and that was enough.

Naruto's stomach growled loudly, completely disrupting the moment.  
Sasuke frowned.  
"Sorry," the fox grinned sheepishly, "I guess a couple of sandwiches aren't enough for me, huh?"  
The raven smiled slightly, "What do you say about getting some breakfast then? We still have time..."  
He too was hungry, after all, it wasn't as if he'd bothered to make breakfast this morning, he'd been too busy fleeing the scene.  
Naruto's face lit up in an adorable, hopeful smile. "Ramen?"  
"You eat ramen for breakfast too?!"  
"Technically, this would be brunch... right?"  
Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Fine, ramen."  
"Yay!"

It was strange how someone so childish could make him feel so safe, Sasuke thought.

"But next time I decide, dobe."  
"You only eat tomatoes!"  
"It's healthier than ramen."  
"Nu-uh," Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back in the seat, "Ramen covers practically every food group, and it works for every meal!"  
"Sorry to burst your bubble, baka, but if you live of off nothing but ramen you're gonna get sick."  
"I don't Sasuke-teme! I'm not allowed to... Chiyo-baa forces me to eat at least one _proper meal_ every day," he mimicked her voice, grimacing, "But pretty soon you can come over and eat my tomatoes for me!"  
Sasuke brushed his fringe away from his eyes; "You think so, eh?"  
"You should!"  
The Uchiha flicked him gently on the forehead. The familiarity of the situation gave him goose bumps, but he chose to ignore them, saying; "Don't yell so much. Your voice is annoying this early in the morning."  
"So is yours!" Naruto shrilled, "And thanks to it, I have to deal with a cranky Gaara when I get home! He was seriously pissed!"  
"Tell him to get another room," was Sasuke's chilled reply.  
Naruto glanced at him curiously, "Are you jealous, Uchiha?"  
"Tch," Sasuke bit his lip.  
"You are!"  
"Your voice is annoying," Sasuke started the car, "Shut up."

* * *

Gaara yawned.  
He was unable to concentrate, much to Shizune's annoyance.  
"I know you didn't sleep much, but please, _try_ to concentrate! If you finish this we can take lunch!"  
Gaara grunted, staring down into the book at the table.  
"Only three more problems to go," the teacher urged, trying to encourage him.  
The red headed teen scowled at her, but reached for his pencil again, wishing to get over with it.  
Maybe he could try to get some sleep during lunch?

"Very good!" Shizune smiled, collecting her papers, "See? I told you it wasn't that hard!"  
"Stop talking to me like I'm a kid."  
"Sorry," she sighed, "You want to take lunch now?"  
"Please."  
"Alright, we'll have an hour's break then."  
The teen nodded, standing.  
He wanted to go back to bed, or at least crash on the sofa... But froze in his tracks when the door opened.

"Hey," Neji said.  
"You're not supposed to be here now." it wasn't a question, actually it sounded more like Gaara was giving an order.  
"No, but I thought I'd stop by, I'm kinda in gym class," Neji smiled slightly.  
"Then what are you doing here?" the red demanded.  
"Individual exercise," Neji replied, "I barely escaped Lee's claws."  
He was breathing heavily, Gaara noticed. He must've ran.  
Turning on his heel, Gaara went back into the kitchen.  
"Right..." the brunette was left in the living room. "Leave in the middle of a conversation..."

Gaara returned, surprisingly, carrying a glass of water.  
Without saying a word, he held it out towards the Hyuuga.  
Neji stared at him.  
"Here," Gaara said impatiently.  
The elder teen took it from him, drinking hesitantly.  
"It's not poisoned."  
Neji took a large gulp, emptying most of the glass, giving it back to him.  
Gaara placed it on the table.  
"So you're skipping?"  
"What?"  
"Since you're here rather than out running."  
"No," Neji shook his head, "I'm not. I'm just hiding. Lee is way too intense to be working with in this heat!"  
Gaara had no idea who Lee was; but from what he'd heard, he sounded like a very stressful person.

"Do you have to run?"  
"Excuse me?" Neji turned to Gaara, sitting on the steps outside.  
The red frowned, "Do you have to run? For gym class? Or can you like... do other stuff?"  
Neji gazed down the street, squinting slightly, letting his hand work as a shield from the blazing sun, as he looked out for Lee. Like the other would suddenly pop up out of nowhere, which was highly possible.  
"No, we can do other things, as long as it's physical." he exchanged glances with the red, smirking slightly.  
Gaara took no notice of it.  
"So you can practice that fighting style of yours?"  
Neji nodded, "Yeah, why?"  
"I find it interesting. I would like to be your opponent."  
"What?" Neji failed to hold back a laugh, "Are you mad? I might hurt you!"  
"You won't." Gaara said with confidence, "Don't underestimate me."  
Neji cocked an eyebrow, "The same thing goes for you; don't underestimate me."  
"We understand each other then?" Gaara's tired eyes were gleaming.  
"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."  
"Fair enough," Gaara nodded, standing.  
He followed Neji's lead, stepping over to the lawn.

They stood facing each other, each holding the others' gaze.  
Neji bowed his head, respectfully, as taught by his sensei.  
Gaara merely nodded in return.

The brunette was serious from the start; immediately striking the same pose Gaara had seen him show to the kids; one arm stretched out in front of him, palm mirroring him.  
From there he wasted no time, coming straight forward, right arm stretched out in front of him. But when he stuck, it was with his left palm, not with the right as expected.  
He was so fast, Gaara barely had time to react, before Neji's hand came towards him.  
The red dodged, but only barely; a gust of hot air brushed by his cheek, along with Neji's fingertips, grazing slightly over Gaaras pale skin.  
He was taken aback, yet grabbed the chance he was given; directing a punch to Neji's kidney. The brunette caught the fist in his hand, stopping it.  
He gripped Gaara's wrist, holding his hand is place, twisting it slightly, whilst taking one step forward. His left arm, still suspended in mid-air suddenly came down at him; two fingers pressing hard down at his jugular.  
"Nng," Gaara grit his teeth and stumbled.  
Neji's grip on his hand loosened, pushing the red teen further back, the brunette turned 180 degrees, shifting his weight, resting most of it on his right leg.  
He retracted his hand, preparing for yet another strike; this time with both palms.

_"He's fast!"_

Gaara's eyes widened. It was hard to read the Hyuuga's movements, but he figured his best chance was to dodge, so he let himself down to the ground; catching himself with his hands. Neji looked at him in surprise, just long enough to miss Gaara slipping his leg behind Neji's, pulling it towards himself_._

The brunette lost his balance, stumbling forwards.  
The red on the ground turned to the left, stretched his leg upwards, delivering a kick straight to Neji's abs.  
The Hyuuga stumbled again, letting out something like an 'oof', surprised, pale eyes meeting with the aquamarine pair of the red head now getting back up.  
He failed to regain his balance, but instead of falling hard to the ground like he should; Neji somehow managed to catch himself; rolling backwards, flipping himself back on his feet, easy as that. Landing, he reverted back to his initial position; one hand outstretched.

"Not bad,"  
"I'd never thought you'd minimize the damage of that fall," Gaara said, beyond surprised, but with a voice just as calm as always.  
Neji smirked, he changed the subject; "Your defense is good, but you lack the will to attack,"  
Gaara licked his lips, wondering where the brunette had gotten that idea. "Hmph," he said, "That's what you think."  
"That's what I _know_!" with an emphasis on the last word, he rushed forward, so quickly Gaara didn't even have time to blink.  
He managed to register how truly peculiar the Hyuuga's style was; he'd stopped mere inches before him, his left arm resting against his stomach, while the right was suspended in the air; two fingers shaped into hooks.  
Gaara half expected the strike to come from the left hand, rather than the right, like last time, but was taken aback when Neji sort of pushed his hands down, pressing back the air, gaining a twist to the kick he delivered instead.

Gaara dodged it swiftly, crouched down and moved slightly forwards.  
He dared to take advantage of the situation, once again trying to hit the Hyuuga.  
Only to learn that Neji's leg was still suspended in the air; straight into the air in fact.

Confusion flashed over his face as Neji let his leg down; so quickly he had no time to react before the other had trapped him; his leg coiling around his neck, the back of his knee pressing against the back of Gaara's head.  
He could never, _ever_ have foreseen that move!

But Gaara refused to give up, his hands were still free after all; it still wasn't over...  
Almost before the red had managed to raise his hand however, Neji had pushed it away; pressing two fingers against his wrist, hard on the veins. It felt like his arm was being paralyzed.  
Swiftly, the elder teen raised his other hand as well; the same two fingers, only on the opposite hand searching out the most vulnerable spot on the red's neck; pressing down on his artery. Underneath his rough touch, he could feel Gaara's pulse race.

The red's eyes widened.  
Never before had he been in such a vulnerable position; right now he was being held in a death grip by the Hyuuga, by his _leg_ none the less. His face was barely inches away from the other's groin. It was humiliating.  
And it was over.

Neji let him go.  
They stared at each other.  
A slight smirk of self-satisfaction crossed over Neji's face, whilst the red focused on forcing back the blush that was threatening to come over him.  
His hands slid into his pockets. He swallowed hard, his breath was heavy. But he didn't want the other to see that he was tired. The other seemed to have made no effort at all, although Gaara knew well he could've gotten in some good hits here and there. Still, as long as the Hyuuga showed no signs of fatigue, he wouldn't either.  
A slight awkwardness hung in the air, but neither of the two wished to acknowledge it.

Neji nodded at his adversary.  
It was one of acceptance. His arms were crossed over his white shirt.

"Gaara! It's time to continue the lesson!" it was Shizune's voice.

The red barely returned Neji's look, as he turned on his heel, marching back to the house.

Neji smiled after him, shaking his head.  
Gaara intrigued him. Just as this fight'd been interesting, the red was too. Albeit being quite cold.

* * *

"Ah, Naruto! I've been looking for you!"  
"Iruka-sensei?" Naruto looked up, he was sitting in the staircase, reading a tattered magazine that had been laying around there, "Is something wrong? You know that I'm in your class right? In like...an hour?"  
"Well yes...But I was hoping to catch you earlier and-" the teacher stopped himself, "Aren't you supposed to be in class right now?"  
"Yeah," Naruto shrugged, "But Orochimaru threw me out,"  
"He what?!"  
"Threw me out," Naruto replied calmly, "For disrupting the peace. Apparently it's a sin to ask for a pencil in his class..."  
Iruka frowned.  
"Though," Naruto chewed his nail, "he might've thrown me out because I was talking to Sasuke... He's so... I dunno..._possessive_ when it comes to him."  
Iruka's eyebrow twitched, "P-possessive...?"  
"Yeah," Naruto said, his toes curling inside his socks when he remembered how possessive Sasuke himself had been acting this morning, "I mean, I've heard about teacher's who've got favorites, but this is ridiculous!"  
Iruka rubbed his temple, "That man..." he mumbled, shuddering.  
He turned to the blonde teen again; "Sasuke is in class then?"  
"Yeah. Obviously. Why?"  
"Kakashi was looking for him,"  
"Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto repeated, "You mean he's actually here? On a Friday?"  
"It's a rarity, I must admit..." Iruka said, beginning to trail off.  
"So what did you want me for?" Naruto demanded impatiently.  
"Ah, yes. I was hoping you could help me out a little this weekend."  
Naruto looked curiously at him.  
"For a small fee of course," Iruka smiled.  
"Sure," Naruto shrugged, "What do you need me for?"  
"A few minor things... I'm redecorating, and painting."  
"Painting?"  
"Yes, because apparently my living room is painted in a hideous yellow, and Kakashi thought that white-" he eyed the teen, who was now smirking knowingly, "what?"  
Naruto's smirk broadened into a grin; "Heeeh, Kakashi-sensei eh?"  
The teacher grew flustered. Standing, he grabbed Naruto by the collar of his shirt. "I expect you to show at my house first thing tomorrow morning then," he ordered, dragging the teen across the hall.  
"What are you-!?"  
"Getting you back into class."

Iruka slid open the classroom door.  
Orochimaru looked at him with narrow eyes, over Sasuke's shoulder.  
The man was currently leaning over the raven; his black, greasy hair falling over Sasuke's shoulder onto his desk as the man tried to show him a formula or something, although the teen obviously had no problems with chemistry whatsoever.

Sasuke looked positively disgusted.

"What do you want?" the snake-like teacher inquired, standing up straight.  
"I came to return this," Iruka said, pushing Naruto inside the room, "He claims you threw him out. But surely you know better than to ban students from your class just for a little chatting?"  
"I demand that they bring the proper equipment. If they aren't prepared, they suffer the consequences," Orochimaru replied.  
"Nonsense. Naruto, take your seat." Iruka ordered.

Orochimaru scowled at the young teacher who so daringly stepped in and intervened with his class. He then glared at the blonde, plopping down in the seat next to Sasuke.  
The man opened his mouth to deliver a sour line, but was interrupted by the door flying open again; this time Kakashi came through it.

"Sasuke!" he demanded.  
The Uchiha looked up, with badly hidden relief.  
Orochimaru sent the scarecrow a warning look, but the man didn't bother to interpret it.  
"Come with me," he merely said.

Sasuke stood, following the man.

Iruka turned as well, saying something about Orochimaru trying to teach his kids something rather than throwing them out of class, and then shut the door behind them.

The snake glared at Naruto, who quickly made himself busy with the chemistry book.

* * *

"So you'll be busy all weekend?"  
"Pretty much," Naruto shrugged, loosening his seat belt.  
"Me too," Sasuke sighed.  
"You too? With what?"  
"Kakashi-sensei asked me to come help out, starting tonight. I'm going over there straight away though,"  
"Really?" Naruto furrowed his brow. "What kind of help?"  
"Painting for one..." Sasuke replied, "I think he's selling the apartment..."  
"Selling it?!" Naruto echoed.  
"Yeah," Sasuke shrugged.  
"And...Iruka's painting because Kakashi..." about ten different expressions rolled over Naruto's face.  
"What?" the raven wondered, confused.  
"Don't you get it?!" Naruto asked excitedly.  
"Uh..."  
Naturally, it was hard for Sasuke to follow; he hadn't been exposed to Naruto's theories yet after all.  
Still, the raven was sharp; "You think they're moving in together, aren't you?"  
"Isn't it obvious?"  
"It could be a coincidence," Sasuke shrugged, "And Kakashi might just be moving to a different apartment complex or something."  
"Pfft," Naruto rolled his eyes, "I'm not buying that one Uchiha."

Sasuke shook his head.

"You're there alot, aren't you?"  
"Huh?"  
"At Kakashi-sensei's?"  
"Oh..." Sasuke stared at his shoes, "I guess...Since I live by myself he drops by and stuff you know? Or let me stay with him...he thinks I'll get lonely or something, I don't know."  
The raven bit his lip.

Naruto could tell he wasn't comfortable talking about it. Besides, he didn't need him to either, since he had already overheard Kakashi and Iruka in the kitchen that time. He knew that Kakashi worked as a sort of guardian for Sasuke. And he was grateful for it; Naruto himself had no idea where he had been today if it wasn't for Iruka.

"Well," he said, smiling, trying to lighten the mood; "I guess we might get to see each other after all then."  
Sasuke smiled slightly, "Yeah, if you're right that is."  
"Of course I'm right!" Naruto beamed.  
"Alright then," Sasuke smiled, "I'll be looking forward to working with you."  
"Really?" the blonde's eyes narrowed, mischief dancing within the blue.  
"Yeah..." Sasuke pulled him close, kissing him.

Naruto felt he could lose himself in this sensation forever, but alas;  
"Now, get out dobe," Sasuke broke the kiss, "You have to make dinner today, right?"  
Naruto threw a glance at the clock on the dashboard, "Crap!"  
He opened the car door, scrambling out of the seat. "I'll see you!"  
Sasuke nodded, waving slightly at him.

* * *

"What the heck is that?" Gaara asked suspiciously the moment Naruto took his sweater off.  
"What's what?"  
"That mark on your neck."  
"Oh that...Never mind that..." Naruto turned around, catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror. A small round mark, with a slight purple color prided his neck, right above his collarbone.  
"It looks like a hickey." Gaara pointed out.  
"Are you kidding?!" Naruto sputtered.  
"No."  
"I..." the blonde chewed on his bottom lip, "I got into a bit of trouble at school, ok?"  
"And...it kissed you?" Gaara wasn't sounding very convinced.  
"No! It's not..! C'mon Gaara, at my school... who'd kiss me?"  
Gaara frowned, "Do I really need to tell you his name, since he's all you talk about?"  
Naruto forced himself to calm down, trying not to spaz. "It wasn't Sasuke ok? It's a bruise..."  
"Whatever," Gaara sighed, opening the door to their room.

The lightning in there was better than in the hall, and when Naruto looked at his friend, he noticed the mark on _his_ neck. A mark that actually _looked_ like a bruise.  
"What about yours?" he asked, sapphire eyes digging into light green ones, "What happened to you?"  
"Never mind." Gaara mimicked, annoyed. However, he touched two fingers to the mark on his neck, pressing lightly; it felt tender. "It's a bruise, I guess..." he shrugged.

Naruto looked alarmed.  
"Where'd you get that?"  
Gaara shrugged again.  
"No," Naruto's voice grew stern, "Tell me,"

If Gaara had a bruise, it was bad.  
If he did it could mean he was going out of control again, and that... was something Naruto didn't want to worry about.

"God," Gaara rolled his eyes, "It's just a bruise! I got it earlier, when I was sparring with Neji."  
"You got into a fight with Neji?!" Naruto whirled around.  
"No," Gaara replied, "I _sparred_ with him."  
"It's the same thing!" Naruto shrilled, "Are you mad?! You're not supposed to fight!"  
"If you could listen to what I'm saying, you'd know that it wasn't a fi-"  
"Gaara!" Naruto yelled, "It's the same thing! You _know_ that you're not supposed to get aggravated like that!"  
"I had everything under control," Gaara's voice fell, sounding more annoyed. "Shizune saw us, and she did no-"  
"Nothing to stop it?!" Naruto's mouth dropped open, "What the hell?! I thought it was clear that you-"

Gaara stood from the bed, placing his hands on his best friend's shoulders, holding his gaze sternly. "Naruto," he said, "I'm fine. I didn't relapse or anything. It was just a little sparring. A work-out. If it'd been dangerous you know someone would have stopped it. So please stop talking to me like you're my mother or something."

Naruto sighed.  
He didn't say any more. He was pissed off, but arguing with Gaara wouldn't make it better, and besides, the other seemed impossible to talk to right now.  
Gaara knew, he _knew_, that with his unstable temper, anything that as much as resembled a physical fight, be it martial arts or play, could easily turn into something real in his eyes.  
He might be fine at this point, but way too many times before had he failed to distinguish innocent play from the real deal, and the outcomes had never been good.

"Whatever," he said, throwing on a long sleeved shirt over the one he was wearing. "Let's just go make dinner,"  
Gaara grunted, following him back downstairs.

* * *

Naruto's temper still hadn't cooled down the next morning, when he was getting ready to go to Iruka's house, he ran into Neji; walking up the drive way.  
"Hey Naruto," the Hyuuga said.  
The blonde glared daggers at him; "What the hell are you thinking!?" he yelled.  
"Huh?" Neji stopped, looking back at him with confusion.  
"I'm talking about yesterday!" Naruto seethed, "How the hell could you challenge Gaara to a fight?!"  
"Fight?" Neji repeated, still confused, "It was only some friendly sparring," he tucked some dark locks of hair behind his ear, "And he was the one who wanted to,"  
"Alright, so maybe he was!" Naruto stepped closer, "But you shouldn't have accepted! Are you out of your fucking mind?!"  
"What?" Neji furrowed his brow, not following at all.  
Naruto grabbed the elder's shirt; "Do you have _any_ idea what you could've done?!"  
"No," Neji grabbed Naruto's hand, forcing it to let go, "I don't. Care to inform me?"  
"Tch," Naruto scoffed, jerking his hand loose from the Hyuuga's grip. "You could've lost him his freedom, that's what!"  
Neji stared blankly at him.  
Up until two minutes ago, the tone between them had been fairly good. So what was this?  
"He's unstable, ok?!" Naruto snapped, "Aggravation can send him over the edge!"  
The Hyyuga's eyes darkened slightly.  
"Do me a favor ok?" Naruto hissed, "Leave him alone, for his sake."

Neji watched as the blonde walked down the road, with angry steps.  
He bit his lip, feeling insecure for the first time in ages.

"Morning," Gaara said, stuffing a spoonful of cornflakes into his mouth.  
"Hey," Neji sat down, accepting the sandwich he was offered. The girl serving them left the kitchen shortly after. He heard her calling some of the kids.

"Listen, I just talked to Naruto and-" Neji paused, "Or...he kind of yelled at me actually."  
"Oh God..." Gaara rolled his eyes, putting down his spoon.  
"He said-"  
"I know what he said," Gaara bit him off, "He's way too overprotective. I'm not as unstable as he claims."  
Neji didn't reply, it seemed like he was looking for words.  
"Just forget about it, and don't mind him," Gaara shook his head, "He's got a big mouth, and an even bigger heart."  
The brunette smiled slightly, "You're lucky to have such a friend, even if he looked like he was about to kill me."  
Gaara refilled his bowl, not saying a word.

"So where'd you learn to fight like that anyway?" Neji asked him suddenly, "It looked like nothing I've ever seen before..."  
Gaara shrugged, "I've seen a lot."  
Neji cocked an eyebrow.  
"Some is from various techniques and martial arts styles, others are street moves."  
"A pure-bred holds nothing on a scruffy mutt," Neji said, smiling slightly.  
Gaara eyed him, lip curving slightly upwards.  
"You really surprised me! I didn't think you'd put up such great resistance."  
Gaara shrugged again, "It wasn't easy though; you're good."  
Neji stood, carrying his plate over to the sink, "I know. But you put up a fair fight. Almost as good as Lee."  
"What are you doing here anyway?" Gaara changed the subject, "It's early. And I doubt having breakfast is part of the experience you're supposed to be gaining?"  
"I'm here to pick up the grocery list, then I'll do your shopping, and finally help looking over the budget."  
"You're a regular housewife then," Gaara remarked, standing as well.  
His eyes met briefly with Neji's; before he headed back upstairs. "See ya."

* * *

"Naruto! I can understand that you're upset! But please try to be careful!" Iruka shrilled as there was a loud crash from the living room.  
"Sorry!" the teen shouted back to him, "But this thing's heavy!"  
Iruka came in to see the teen struggling to move a large, wooden chest. "What's in here anyway?!"  
"Books. I was meaning to get a new bookshelf..."  
"Just help me, will ya?!"  
The teacher sighed and joined Naruto. Together they carried the obnoxious object across the floor and forced it through the doorway into the hall.

It was already three in the afternoon, and they hadn't even gotten around to painting yet, because of all the crap Iruka had saved over the years that had been dusting away in the attic and now needed to be sorted for whatever reason.  
"You could've moved out the furniture before I got here you know, then maybe we'd be halfway done by now," Naruto muttered sourly, as he grabbed one end of Iruka's couch, waiting for the teacher to take the other end.  
"Please Naruto, calm down," Iruka tried, "I can understand that you're worried... But he's come a long way over the past year; I'm sure Gaara's fine."

An image of Gaara with the switchblade knife popped up in Naruto's mind. "What if he's not?!" he said, biting down hard on his lip, "What if they take him away? He won't be able to handle that... _I_ won't be able to handle that!"  
"Naruto..." Iruka put down the couch, stepping over to the boy that was so much like a son to him, "Nothing is going to happen... If it had been really bad, you'd know by now, right?"  
Naruto let himself slide down on the floor, "I guess..."

Iruka touched his hand gently to the top of Naruto's head, resting it there, between wild, blonde strands. Even though the boy hardly showed it he'd been afraid of losing those close to him ever since he was young. It was understandable too, with his history. But Iruka suspected that Naruto's fear of losing Gaara was connected to the boy he had left behind years ago, rather than to the loss of his parents. It pained him.  
He didn't say anything, and knew that Naruto was grateful for it.

The silence was broken by the sound of someone opening the front door.

"Iruka?"  
"In the living room!" Iruka called back.

Seconds later, Kakashi was standing in the doorway. He had a white plastic bag in his hand; the sweet smell of dinner drifting from it. "I bring food!" he beamed.  
Naruto rose to his feet, ogling the bag.

All depressive thoughts were blown away once he smelled the food and realized how hungry he was.

"Glad to see you're helping out, Naruto!"  
"Like I had a choice..." the teen said, grinning.  
Kakashi turned his head; "It's ok to come in you know!"  
He moved aside, making room for Sasuke.  
Naruto felt his heart skip a beat when his eyes fell on the raven, who was standing there, looking so indifferent; hands in his pockets.  
"Hi Sasuke!" Iruka smiled at the boy.  
Sasuke offered a nod.  
"So, what did you bring us?" Iruka asked, leading the way into the kitchen.  
Kakashi followed, Sasuke tagging behind him. He watched as the teacher put the bag on the table, taking out it's contents; little tin foil containers with the 'Ichiraku' stamp on the lid.  
"Zaru soba for us, ramen for Naruto..."

The blonde grinned even wider.

"And..."  
"Let me guess! Tomatoes for Sasuke!"  
"Tomatoes?" Kakashi stared blankly at Naruto.  
"Don't ask," Sasuke growled, "Just give me my fried rice."  
"That's all you're having?" Naruto asked, accepting the chop sticks Iruka was offering him.  
"Yes," Sasuke's eyebrow twitched, "And it's better than living strictly off ramen you know."  
Iruka chuckled.  
"Oh, and you were right," Sasuke continued, leading the chopsticks to his lips. "They're moving in together."

The younger of the two teachers went bright red, throwing a coughing fit.

"Where did you get that idea?" Kakashi asked him.  
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "It's pretty obvious. You know, with the post-it notes all over the apartment that say whether you're throwing stuff away or taking them here..."  
"I could just be giving away my furniture..."  
"No."  
Naruto nodded. "Just admit to it already! What are you gonna do? Jump out the window every time I come over?"  
"Keep the apartment, so I can still go there when you want to look after me?" Sasuke continued.  
"You can't hide it from us forever!" Naruto said, stuffing his face with ramen.  
"Alright..." Kakashi sighed, he looked over at Iruka who looked positively horrified, "Relax Iruka, they are right, it's better to just come clean."  
The man smiled.  
Iruka turned white.  
"Yes," Kakashi said, "We are moving in together. Mostly for practical reasons; Iruka's house is far too big for him to live in it alone for one."  
"Then there's the rent..." the other concurred.  
"Dinner benefits."  
"Carpooling, which is environmentally friendly," Iruka nodded enthusiastically.  
"And sex," Sasuke said calmly, staring at them both.  
Naruto burst out laughing, while Iruka coughed and spluttered.  
Kakashi remained quiet, but there was a mischievous glint in his eyes, "As I said; plenty of benefits!"  
"Shut your mouth!" Iruka shrilled, blushing ten shades of red.

"Can you believe those two?!" Naruto laughed, running the paintbrush along the wall, "They're adults and still afraid of admitting they have a relationship, even though I've figured it out ages ago!" he dipped the brush in the paint bucket again, "And on top of that, using their own students as slaves! Meanwhile they're upstairs somewhere doing god knows what..."  
"What about you?" Sasuke asked, turning to him.  
"Huh?"  
"Are you afraid of admitting that we have a relationship?" his voice was gentle, but his words sounded harsh.  
Naruto stared at him. He nervously chewed his lip.  
Of course the thought had crossed his mind; that he was afraid. He didn't really need more attention and rumors. But...That wasn't the reason he hadn't told anyone, was it?  
"You've got paint in your hair..." he said, reaching out, touching his hand to Sasuke's cheek, proceeding to brush it through strands of ebony, tinted with white.  
"Naruto," Sasuke said, taking his hand.  
"No," Naruto shook his head, "I'm not afraid."  
"Then why is it still a secret?"  
Not that Sasuke himself had made any effort to reveal it.  
"Because," Naruto sighed, "I..."  
His expression changed, his smile reappearing.  
"Because," he whispered, leaning closer, "I want to have you to myself for now..."  
"Hn," Sasuke smiled, touching their lips together, "Moron..."  
The blonde smiled against his lips, sliding his arms around Sasuke's neck.  
He smelled of paint, and tasted like spices...

They broke the kiss when they heard Kakashi and Iruka coming back down the stairs, carrying an old dresser.

"Remind me again why we're doing this in this kind of heat?!" Iruka groaned, once they reached the foot of the stairs and he could finally put the dresser down.  
"Because," Kakashi said, putting down his side as well, "The best way to fight the heat is by hard work!"  
"Yeah right!" Naruto commented, "That's a huge lie!"  
"No it isn't. It's just as reasonable as dressing out the heat, and a good day's work gives a good night's sleep."  
The two teens glared at him.  
Sasuke's eyebrow was twitching again. He certainly didn't sleep well.  
"So with that in mind, you two slackers should get back to work!"  
Groaning, they grabbed the paintbrushes and went back to the wall.

* * *

Four hours later, Kakashi announced that it was time he and Sasuke left. The teacher wanted to finish moving out things from his own living room, so that it could be painted the very next day.  
He offered Naruto a ride home, which the blonde happily accepted; he didn't care much for staying over at Iruka's, as his room was way too crowded at the moment, and the entire house reeked of paint.

"Are you hungry dear?" Chiyo asked before Naruto had even had time to remove his shoes.  
"No, I ate at Iruka's."  
"You finished painting?"  
"Barely, we finished the living room, but there's still the hall... And he's got so much stuff! Like you wouldn't believe!"  
"I think it's nice of you to help him out like this," the elderly woman smiled.  
Naruto shrugged, "I don't mind. Do you need me to help out with anything or...?"  
"No, it's fine. I'm just going to prepare the evening meal, and send them all to bed, you can relax."  
"Alright," the teen smiled at her.  
"You should take a shower though," she pointed out, "You've got paint on your face."  
"I know. I'll just go on upstairs then."

Naruto slid the door to his and Gaara's room open with one hand, while drying his hair off with the towel he held in the other.  
"Hard day?" Gaara glared at him, leaning against the wall.  
"Kind of...Iruka-sensei really doesn't have _any _system in his things!"  
"You just love telling others what to do, don't you?" there was a tone of spite in Gaara's voice that Naruto had never heard before. Not directed at himself at least.  
"Gaara?" Naruto asked hesitantly, uncertain.  
"You're always wanting to tell us how to live our lives!" the red continued, "Here's a newsflash; we can't all be like you!"

Naruto's chest tightened.  
Was this what he'd been afraid of? Was this the relapse?

"I don't understand what you're..."  
"Let me tell you then!" Gaara seemed absolutely furious, "I know that you worry about me. I know that you like to think that just because you warn me, I'll listen to reason. But that's not how I work! I need to do things myself!"  
"When did I ever say that you couldn't do anything yourself?"  
"Yesterday for example," Gaara hissed, "You think that a little sparring will kill me. And I appreciate your concern, but it's not you who have to suffer the consequences. It's me!"  
"No," Naruto said sternly, "If something happens to you, it'll affect me too. You know that."  
His best friend stared defiantly at him. "Maybe so," he said, "But it wasn't enough to just talk with me, was it? You _had_ to talk to Neji!"  
"I just thought that..."  
"He would listen? That he would understand, and allow you to overprotect me?!"  
"Gaara..." Naruto started softly.  
"No!" the red yelled, "Do me a favor, Naruto. Stay out of my business, ok?!" he brushed past the blonde, slamming the bedroom door shut.

Naruto was left in shock, wondering.  
He wondered whether Gaara was right; that he really _did_ bother too much with everyone else.  
And he wondered why he could never have one good thing happening without something bad sneaking up from behind...  
Things had been so good lately; with him and Sasuke acting all lovey-dovey, so why did he have to go and get into a fight with Gaara?!  
He sighed.  
He wanted to go after the red, but he knew him well enough to tell that there was no way to talk to him right now.  
Gaara needed time to cool down, and Naruto himself needed time to think about things, and figure out what to say to his friend, when the opportunity arose.

Gaara didn't come back to the room that night. He stayed downstairs.  
And he didn't say a word to Naruto the next morning either.

It was all really awkward, and since Naruto had no idea what to say to him yet; he couldn't apologize, since he still felt he'd acted in Gaara's best favor, he decided to just take his things with him and stay at Iruka's place for the night, chaos or not.  
At least he'd be able to sleep without having to feel bad about Gaara spending the night in the living room.

Sunday was spent helping Iruka with the hall; cleaning and painting it  
Kakashi's hands were full it seemed, so neither him or Sasuke came by.  
Naruto texted the Uchiha though, letting him know that there was no need to pick him up the next morning; he'd catch a ride with Iruka.

On Monday he told Sasuke about what had happened.  
They were sitting on the roof, having lunch. The rest of the group were still in the cafeteria, but they'd probably find their way up here soon, so all they dared to do was talk to each other.  
"I wouldn't worry too much," Sasuke said, "you said yourself that he's unstable and short tempered, this can't possibly be the first time you've fought?"  
"It's not the first... but...We've never been fighting like this. Not like we've been recently."  
Sasuke's hand found his, "Just...give him time. Give him some space. Let him try and fail by himself. And when he falls, you'll be there to help him back on his feet, without judging him. That's what you should do."  
Naruto stared blankly at him.  
"Try talking to him today," the raven said softly. "If he wants to talk, he'll talk. If not, wait for him to calm down."  
"You sound like... like you really know him." Naruto mumbled.  
"Really?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "Strange. Honestly, I can't understand how you can stand that guy at all..."

Naruto shot him a sharp glance.  
Sasuke stopped himself.

"I guess I should talk to Neji too..." Naruto sighed.  
"I'm fine with it if you don't," the Uchiha said.  
Sasuke wasn't exactly a member of the Hyuuga Neji Fanclub.  
"I have to say _something_ to him," Naruto frowned, "even if you don't like it."  
Sasuke shrugged, "Maybe, but I don't think he cares much what you have to say."

He stood.

"Where are you going?" Naruto inquired.  
"I have an appointment...I'll be gone for the rest of the day."  
"Where?!" Naruto called after him, but Sasuke was already halfway down the stairs.

He was always so secretive.  
Or was it just that he appeared that way because they didn't really _talk_ when they were together?

* * *

Getting home that day, Naruto had prepared in his head the speech he hoped would help Gaara understand why he'd acted the way he did.  
However, it seemed to be useless, as his best friend was in a completely different mood; he smiled at Naruto when he came through the door.  
Insecurely, Naruto smiled back.

"Sorry I drove you out of the house," Gaara started.  
"No," Naruto shook his head, "You were right, I shouldn't have meddled. I'm sorry."  
Gaara turned a deaf ear; "I'm lucky to have a best friend who worries about me the way you do."  
Naruto smiled at him, "I'm lucky to have a best friend who is short tempered, but never angry for a long time."  
"You are," the red agreed.  
Naruto felt relieved.  
Still, something was off; things were fine with Gaara again, but now Sasuke was acting strange.

* * *

Sasuke dragged himself down the stairs; he'd gotten no more than three hours of sleep.  
When he finally drifted into dream land, he'd been having nightmares.  
And finally, the alarm clock had rang.

He was glad that this was the second last day before summer.  
After tomorrow he could sleep in, and maybe double his sleeping hours.

Of course, he could just succumb to Kakashi's wishes, and come stay with him for a few days again; the last time he'd gained a few good nights of sleep.  
But now that the man seemed to be moving in with Iruka, Sasuke would only feel like he was in the way. And he didn't want to go stay with the two of them.

Maybe he could make Naruto come stay with him for a night or two...?  
He smiled slightly.  
It was unlikely that the blonde would be allowed to stay over; he was pretty much obligated to stay at home every night. Iruka's house seemed to be the only exception.  
Still, Sasuke liked the thought of having Naruto over.  
He felt warm when thinking about his soft lips, sunkissed hair and...lean body...  
Absentmindedly he took the box of cereal from the cupboard, pouring some into a bowl and then added milk.  
He sat down at the kitchen table, staring down into the bowl as he had the first mouthful.

Sasuke chewed slowly, forcing back a yawn.  
As he blinked, he thought he saw something like a shadow, moving swiftly through the kitchen.  
He opened his eyes, narrowing them.  
There was nothing on either side of him.  
Again his mind was playing tricks on him.  
He stared down into the cereal again.  
Swallowed, and led a new spoonful to his lips.

The feeling in his gut told him he wasn't alone.

He looked up; gasping.  
"Good morning, little brother."

Itachi was sitting across from him at the table, looking straight at him.  
Sasuke choked on his cornflakes.  
He coughed.  
His eyes watered. He tried to keep them open, but failed, and blinked hard a couple of times.  
When he opened them again, the chair where Itachi'd been sitting was just as empty as it had been minutes before.  
He blinked again.  
But again the kitchen was empty when he looked around.

He felt sick.  
The cornflakes grew in his mouth, became impossible to chew, and even harder to swallow.  
He stood, carrying his bowl over to the sink.

"You're not sleeping well?" Itachi's voice came behind him.  
Sasuke dropped the bowl.  
It hit the floor with a loud crash, broken glass scattering all over the floor.  
He whirled around; and the kitchen was empty.  
Sasuke's heart was beating so fast he thought he'd die.

He didn't care that he stepped on the pieces of glass, that it dug into his feet and left bleeding cuts, as he stormed out of the kitchen.  
Sasuke needed to get out.  
He had no idea where he was going, but his car seemed like the safest place to go right now.  
He had yet to see his brother in there.

He was shaking so badly it was a miracle he even got the car starting.  
Backing out of the drive way, he wondered if he should go to school. But he knew that it was a bad idea. It just wasn't an option.  
Especially since Naruto would be able to tell that something bothered him, and thus it would bother the fox as well.

Deciding on no particular destination, he drove off.

* * *

The classroom was almost empty.  
Since there were no real classes, there was a lot of absentees, and most of the remaining students were in the committee for tomorrow's ceremony.  
Sakura, Naruto, Kiba and Shino were left in the classroom.  
Sasuke hadn't shown up yet, and he hadn't responded to Naruto's call earlier either.

It was slightly worrying, but Naruto figured that Sasuke was just taking advantage of the chance to get some extra sleep.

"I wonder if he's sick..." Sakura said, taking out her phone, "He still hasn't replied to my messages..."  
"Has he ever?" Kiba asked her.  
She snarled something at him.

Ino came in, carrying a bunch of papers, "I need you guys to help me proof read these," she said, "Kurenai-sensei will go mad if she finds any misprints."  
Kiba groaned.  
"Sasuke-kun's not here yet?"  
Naruto shook his head.  
"I hope he's not sick... It's his birthday tomorrow after all..."

Naruto sprung to his feet; "What?!"  
"You didn't know?" Sakura rolled her eyes, "Honestly Naruto! You spend more time with him than anyone! How can you not know when his birthday is?!"  
Naruto cursed inwardly, asking himself the same question.  
"I'm not an obsessed fangirl," he retorted, sticking out his tongue.  
"Soo...should we...get him presents or something?" Kiba asked.  
"I have a better idea!" Sakura chirped, "You know that party tomorrow?"  
"The Summer Celebration thing?"  
She nodded, "Kotetsu and Genma both had their birthdays this week, and they're celebrating tomorrow during the party. We should include Sasuke in the celebration too!"  
"How did you intend to pull that off?" Shino asked, looking at her through tinted glasses.  
"Well, you know the two of them, don't you?" Ino smiled.  
"Know...I don't really..."  
"You're in the student council, aren't you?!"  
"Yeah, but..."  
"So you know them! It won't hurt to ask!"  
"Kotetsu and I were in the same committee for the dance," Sakura continued, "So I can talk to him too. Let's do it together!""Sakura-chan..." Naruto started, "I don't think Sasuke..."  
"Your job will be to bring him!" Sakura broke him off, smiling.

She grabbed Shino's hand, dragging him down the hall, in search of the two upperclass-men.

They spotted Kotetsu over by the staircase.  
He was hanging up a banner, announcing the date for the start of summer classes.

"Kotetsu-san!" Sakura shouted.  
He turned, waving at her.  
"Sakura, Shino. To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked her, smiling as he stepped down from the ladder.  
"Well...About the party tomorrow..." she started sweetly, "My friends and I were wondering... You know Sasuke-kun? Well, his birthday is tomorrow...And I know that you don't really know him, but do you think that it's possible..."  
"For him to celebrate with us?" Kotetsu finished.  
She nodded.  
"Well...Usually...A kid from your class wouldn't really belong..."  
"But it would be so great! And everyone's gonna be there anyway!" she pleaded.  
Kotetsu sighed, "Uchiha Sasuke doesn't seem like much of a party animal..."  
"But it'll be such a nice surprise!" Sakura tried to convince him. She nudged Shino in the ribs, wanting him to contribute as well, but he remained fairly quiet.  
She shot him a sharp glance.  
"We'll..." he started, "Stay out of your way of course...it would just be a nice way to show him that he's part of the group and all...At least, Sakura seems to think so."

"Hold on then," Kotetsu got out his phone. He dialed a number.  
"Hey! Genma! It's me! Where are you? Library? Ah, I'm on the first floor...Listen," he went on, explaining the situation.  
Sakura was half expecting a rejection, but instead she heard Genma's voice, loud and clear through the phone; _"Why the hell not? The more the merrier, right?! Besides, they'd be there anyhow!"_

Kotetsu hung up.

"Well," he said, "You heard the man. Seems like it's ok."  
"Yay!" Sakura exclaimed, "Keep in mind though, it's a secret!"  
Kotetsu smiled, "Don't worry about it. I'll make sure to have Izumo make some more banners."  
"Thank you so much!"

For a second Shino thought Sakura would fling her arms around the older teen, but she managed to stay relatively calm.  
"Thanks." he nodded at Kotetsu. "We'll go back to the classroom again then."  
This time, he was the one dragging _her_ down the hall.

"It's all fixed!" Sakura beamed, throwing herself at Ino.  
"It is?! Yay!"  
They danced around on the floor.  
"Why doesn't anyone listen to me?" Naruto whined.  
"What?"  
"Sasuke's not gonna want to go..."  
"He's said that about everything. And he always shows!"  
"Yeah but..." Naruto wasn't sure how to explain the hunch he had that Sasuke was in no mood for festivities lately. It _was_ just a hunch after all, created by his worry and Sasuke's recent behavior, "It's gonna be hell to talk him into it!"  
Sakura smiled sweetly at him, "You're just going to try your best then, ok?"

The fox sighed.  
There was no way out of this one.  
Absolutely no way.  
He'd probably have to sell Sasuke his soul to make up for dragging him along.  
And he didn't even have anything to give him...  
The realization hit him like a boulder over the head.

Time to panic yet?

Oh yeah...

* * *

"Gaaaaraaaa!" Naruto came storming through the door, kicking off his shoes so they flew in totally opposite directions.  
The red came rushing down the stairs. "What's wrong?!" he asked, sounding very alarmed.  
"You _have_ to help me!"  
"Okay okay!" Gaara came over to him, "Just stop yelling, and tell me _what_ it is you need me for!"

It felt nice to be able to talk to him again, but Naruto had no time to be thinking about such matters.

"Sasuke..." he started, leaning forward, his hands on his knees, gasping, swallowing hard. He'd pretty much sprinted home, and was exhausted.  
The moment the raven's name came up, Gaara looked annoyed.  
"Please..." Naruto started over, "It's his birthday tomorrow, and I _need_ to get him something."  
"I've got no money if that's what you mean."  
"No!" Naruto grabbed Gaara's sleeve when the red turned to leave. "That's not it! I need you to-" he gasped, "...to help me make a cake!"

Gaara stared at him in disbelief, his brow furrowing.  
For a long time he stood quietly in one place. Then he scratched his red hair, still staring at Naruto.

"Let me get this straight...You want _me_ to make a cake for Sasuke?"  
"No no no..." Naruto shook his head, "I have to do it myself baka, or it wouldn't be a present. But see, I need you to show me _how_!"  
"That's all?" Gaara rolled his eyes.  
"That's all. I swear!"  
The red sighed, "Ok, fine. I'll help you. After dinner, 'kay?"  
"Deal!" Naruto grinned, "You're the best!"  
"Yeah... whatever." Gaara made his way back upstairs, muttering.

After having eaten, Naruto excused himself to run to the store, picking up the ingredients that were needed to make the cake. Gaara had listed them for him, and made sure to imprint that he'd need to get twice the amount, since they'd be making two cakes.  
He was left with the dishes, the blonde disappearing head over heels so quickly he didn't bother to remember that it was his turn to help as well.

"I hope you're not expecting too much. I'm not exactly a confectioner, you know," Gaara said, rolling up his sleeves.  
"Don't be so modest," Chiyo came into the kitchen, she ruffled the red's hair.  
Gaara scowled, but didn't say anything.  
"You've helped enough to know what you're doing. I wouldn't be surprised if you did become one in the future."  
Gaara pulled away from her, annoyed.

"I hope you don't think it's irresponsible of me to take from my savings for this..." Naruto said, feeling slightly guilty.  
The old woman smiled, "Quite the opposite. I think it's so sweet of you to do this for Sasuke," she gave him a soft pat on the head, "I'll leave you to it, and I'll try my best to keep the kids out of here, so you don't have to worry about them making more of a mess."  
Naruto smiled thankfully at her.

The door slid shut behind them.

The two teenage boys lined up at the kitchen counter, with a bowl each.  
"Alright," Gaara started, looking at his friend, "We're gonna start with making the batter,"  
Naruto nodded, "Obviously."  
"If you're gonna be rude, I'm not showing you this."  
"Sorry," the blonde smiled, "So what's first?"  
"Eggs, sugar and water..."

Naruto watched Gaara crack the eggs, and poured water and sugar into the bowl.  
He smirked, failing to hold back a chuckle.

"Then add flou- What?"  
"You make such a lovely housewife," Naruto laughed.  
Glaring at him, Gaara turned around, "You're on your own."  
"Gaara!" Naruto whined, grabbing his friend's arm, "Please!"  
The red sighed, "Fine," he smacked Naruto gently on the cheek, leaving a palm print in flour, "But you owe me, 'kay?"

About two hours later, the only thing that was left was coating the cake with cream and decorating it.  
"You can do that by yourself, right?"  
"Yeah. Thanks for the help!"  
Gaara picked up his cake, putting it in the fridge.  
"You're not finishing yours?" Naruto asked him, smearing a thick layer of cream on the cake.  
"Nah, I'll do it tomorrow. I'm bored with it."

Naruto smiled at him, shaking his head.  
Gaara squeezed Naruto's shoulder carefully, smiling at him, "Good luck. Try not to mess up too badly, huh?"  
Naruto grinned, shaking him off. "Get lost."

Smirking, Gaara went out into the living room. "Oh!" he called back, "I trust you to clean up!"  
"Screw you!" Naruto hollered back to him, laughing.

"Language, Naruto!" Chiyo scolded from another room.

Konohamaru came into the kitchen, "What are you doing?"  
"Making a cake," Naruto said.  
"Why? It's no one's birthday today."  
"No, but it's Sasuke's tomorrow."  
"Who's Sasuke?" Konohamaru wrinkled his nose.  
"Sasuke's...a friend of mine..."  
"Oh, can I taste the cake?"  
"No. You can lick the bowl though," Naruto said, giving it to him.  
Konohamaru smiled; showing off the gaps where his baby teeth had been.  
"Now scram brat," the teen shoved the boy out of the kitchen.

Konohamaru had to fight over his bowl of cake batter, that much was clear from the noise coming from the living room.  
Naruto shook his head, chuckling and turned back to the cake.

"Yosh," he said, "Let's get started!"  
Regardless of that, he remained in the same place, staring down at his cake.  
What was he going to write on it? 'Happy Birthday Sasuke' obviously, but... What about the decoration?  
Should he make little hearts for example?  
No way. That was lame.  
They _were_ a couple though... He chewed his lip.  
But even so, Sasuke didn't seem like the type who'd appreciate little hearts, and besides it was girly. Real girly. And Naruto was no girl.  
He sighed.  
Maybe he should just write 'Happy Birthday Sasuke' and leave it at that?  
He shook his head. That'd be way too plain.

"Urgh..." Naruto growled in his throat. Who'd thought it'd be this hard to make a cake for someone?

And this wasn't just any someone! Since it was Sasuke, he wanted it to be perfect. Because he wanted Sasuke to be happy. He wanted Sasuke to smile at him...  
His cheeks flushed slightly.

"It definitely needs something more than just whipped cream..." he mumbled, as if he hadn't already established that fact.

The blonde teen checked the fridge and the cupboards, looking for something he could put on the cake . It didn't necessarily need to be decorated with writings and the like...He could just use something like..."Chocolate!"  
Naruto grinned, taking out the bar of milk chocolate.  
Of course...He stopped himself just as he was about to tear open the wrapper, _"It's not mine..." _

Looking around, he smirked slightly. "Whose chocolate is this?" he asked, making no effort to speak up so the people in the other room could hear him.  
When no one answered he just went ahead and opened it, "Ah well. I'll just take it then!"

"What was that Naruto?" Someone called from the other room.  
"Nothing!" Naruto shouted back, getting out the grater, starting to grind the chocolate into little shards that he sprinkled over the pastry.

The transformation was absolute, he noted as he placed the little chocolate sign that read 'Happy Birthday Sasuke' on top of the cake. With the chocolate, it looked a lot tastier and more..._fun_.  
Also, the blonde dared to say that the cake looked delicious.

Neatly placing it on a plate, he stuck it in the fridge, for the next day.

* * *

Sasuke was out the door without even stepping into the kitchen; he went from the bathroom, straight down the stairs and out.  
And even when he was in that kind of rush, he could feel cold, dark eyes digging into his back.  
Eyes that weren't really there, but...  
He shuddered, starting up the car.

Though the distinct feeling of being watched was enough to make him feel sickened; the cold sweat emerging on his back as soon as it crept up, he was relieved that he didn't have to get up this morning to see his family at the table, wishing him a happy birthday.  
The raven shook off the thought.  
That was hard enough in itself, but today it was worse than ever; it was the last day of school. He'd hoped to be able to catch up on his sleep and get away for a while...calm down during summer break, but there was no way that'd happen. Without having to concentrate on school and home work, Sasuke would find himself with way too much free time on his hands, and with way too many unpleasant memories and visions knocking on his door.  
It would all begin in mere hours, and he dreaded it.

He didn't pick up Naruto this morning, but they hadn't agreed to meet before school anyway, so he doubted the blonde would mind.  
He praised himself lucky that Naruto seemed blissfully unaware of which day it was, and that the others seemed oblivious to it as well.  
All he wanted right now was for this day to pass quietly.

He hated birthdays.  
Especially his own.

If it went by unnoticed by everyone else, Sasuke would have no problem believing this was just another day.

Sasuke didn't see Naruto or anyone else from 'their' group when he parked, so he decided to just go straight to the classroom.

* * *

"Listen, remember not to let Sasuke think that we're planning something!"  
"Don't worry, he probably thinks we have no clue what day it is!"  
"Naruto, it's up to you to get him to the beach, remember?"  
"I don't like this..." the blonde muttered, "Sasuke hates these things, I've told you!"  
"And I've told you that he's just pretending," Sakura placed an arm around Naruto's shoulder, "So just _please_ make up some excuse and take him with you!"  
"Why do _I _have to bring him...?" Naruto sighed, hating the fact that when Sasuke realized what he was being dragged to, he'd blame _him_.  
"Because," Sakura squeezed his shoulder, "He _listens_ to you!"  
"Fine," Naruto gave, "I'll do my best. But he leaves when he wants to, I don't want to piss him off!"  
"You're awfully sensitive when it comes to Sasuke, you know that?" Kiba nudged Naruto.  
Forcing back a blush, he shook off both Sakura and Kiba, "Knock it off. I'll talk him into it, but you can't really expect much from him beyond that."  
"_Anyway_," Ino interrupted, "All you have to do is bring him, and the rest will be ready."

The blonde nodded reluctantly.  
Sasuke would hate this thing.

And although Naruto knew that, he was somehow relieved, because as much as he wanted to be with Sasuke on his birthday, just the two of them... He was slightly afraid of what could happen; what to say, what to do...what Sasuke might be...expecting...

He failed to contain the blush that crept up in his cheeks.

"What are you blushing about?" Kiba snickered.  
Naruto ran a hand through locks of unruly blonde, and grinned cheekily, "We're surrounded by gorgeous girls! How can I not?!"  
Ino and Sakura laughed it off, Hinata turned away, blushing.  
The blonde laughed too, relieved to have saved himself out of the awkward situation.

"Lay off, Naruto!" Sakura pushed him gently. She sobered, "Just bring him, 'kay?"  
"I told you already; I'll try my best! Now let's get to class!"  
"Do we even _have _classes today?" Shikamaru moaned.  
"Who knows?"  
"We have _one_ lesson," Shino said, "In which we'll get back tests and the like, then there's the ceremony in the gym."  
"And then we're free!" Kiba and Chouji exclaimed happily.

Although they had been the ones demanding that no one let Sasuke on to their plans, Sakura and Ino seemed to be the ones who struggled the most not to jump the raven and wish him a happy birthday from the moment they came into the classroom.  
Naruto found his seat, sitting down.  
He glanced over at the Uchiha. "Good morning," he mouthed.  
"Hi," Sasuke nodded at him, his lips forming the word.

Naruto stared, a little too long.  
Always, _always_ Sasuke had this effect on him. Making him long to be close to the Uchiha.

"Settle down class!" Iruka came into the classroom, followed by Mizuki, Kakashi and Deidara, who was following behind, closing the door after them all.  
"I know you all think it's a waste of time to be here today," Iruka started, "But I can assure you that it's absolutely necessary."  
Mizuki shoved Iruka aside, "Ok brats, here's how it's gonna go down; we'll hand back the exams and hand-ins that are left, and then you'll get report cards for this semester. Finally, we'll all go down to the gym, and listen to the principal."  
"And then we're all free!" Kakashi said in a sing-song voice. Clearly the teacher was looking forward to six weeks of freedom as well.  
"Not quite," Iruka interrupted, "We will be offering some classes and courses here at school over summer-"  
"Like art classes, yeah!" Deidara beamed, "Since the members in the art club are so dedicated, we decided to host classes over summer!"  
"And for all of you under-achievers, summer classes will be mandatory," Mizuki said, a wicked grin playing on his lips.  
"Whaaaaat?!"  
"Sadly, you and I will be seeing a lot of each other this summer, Uzumaki."  
"But...I _passed_!"  
"Barely. I don't want to spend my summer with you either," the man said, ignoring the sharp glare from Iruka, "But Tsunade felt it was necessary."  
"Also, you're scheduled for math twice a week." Kakashi noted.

Naruto felt a sudden urge to slam his head into his desk.

"The rest of you will have to check the lists, to see if you'll be joining Mr.Uzumaki." Mizuki surveyed the class, "Now, we'll hand out your math exams first. Deidara, if you would be so kind?" the teacher gritted his teeth, glaring at the blonde intern, their little dispute was obviously not over yet.  
Deidara stepped forward, starting to hand out the sheets, "Read them and weep, yeah."

They received the hand-outs, checking the list, went to the gym, snoozing though Tsunade's 'end of term' speech, and eventually also Izumo and Raidou's, it seemed Kotetsu and Genma weren't allowed to do any more public speeches...  
And then finally, one could cheer loudly and finally begin to enjoy summer, looking away from summer classes, and the homework they'd have to complete over the next six weeks that was.

Naruto tried not to think of it as he made his way to the classroom.  
Rather than worrying about something he'd pretty much seen coming already, his first priority should be to find Sasuke.

That didn't prove to be too hard; the Uchiha was already in the classroom when Naruto came back there. Naruto picked up his book bag, "Let's go?"  
"Hn," Sasuke nodded, following him out the door.

"You wanna... go somewhere or something?" Sasuke asked.  
Naruto fastened his seat belt. "I kinda...Have to get home early, but... Do you mind if I come over a bit later?"

Come over?  
As in come to his house?  
Sasuke winced slightly, but didn't let it show.  
He preferred to be out somewhere with the blonde, although that rarely gave them time to be alone... But it was better than having the ghosts of his past hanging over their heads.

"I was thinking..." Naruto started, "That maybe we could get started on the summer homework? It's better to finish it early, right?"

Homework?  
Was that what he had in mind?  
Sasuke glanced over at Naruto.  
That had to be just an excuse... Nevertheless, he nodded absentmindedly.

"Sure."

Strangely enough, Sasuke found himself to be slightly annoyed at the blonde for treating this as any other day.  
Not because he wanted to be showered with gifts or anything, but because he was sure that somewhere inside of him there was something that wished for this day to replace all the shitty birthdays he'd had up until now.  
It was ridiculous though; Naruto had no idea what day it was, even if he _had _asked him about it, years ago.  
Why would he remember such a trivial matter? And why would it bother Sasuke if he didn't?  
The Uchiha shook off the thought, parking the car at the side of the road.

"I'll see you later then," he mumbled, leaning over to kiss the blonde.  
He smiled to himself. As long as he could have _this_, he'd be fine.  
"Yup, I'll be over around five-ish..." Naruto smiled at him, touching their lips together in another hasty kiss before he slammed the car door shut and waved Sasuke off.

* * *

"You won't be at home tonight, will you Naruto?" Chiyo asked over dinner.  
The blonde teen shook his head, "I'm going over to Sasuke's, and then I have to take him to the surprise party..."  
"You're throwing a surprise party for Uchiha?" Gaara furrowed his brow, looking at him in disbelief.  
"_We_ aren't," Naruto said, "_They_ are, and I have to bring him there. It's gonna be a disaster, I just know it..."  
"Then don't go!" Moegi shouted from the other end of the table.  
"No, I have to. But it's not like the party's just for him... I'm sure it'll calm his nerves a little to know that his name was crammed in on the banners and stuff at the last minute..."  
"Or maybe he'll be pissed that he's not the center of attention anymore," Gaara mumbled.  
Naruto scowled at him.  
"No fighting at the table," Chiyo scolded, "You two are worse than the kids sometimes!"

Naruto laughed at that statement.

"Anyway, I guess it'll just be you and Neji here tonight then Gaara," the old woman said, refilling the rice bowl of the girl sitting next to her.  
Gaara looked up, "Where are you going?"  
"Don't you remember? The theater gave us free tickets for the extra show tonight. At first I thought that the youngest ones might not like it, but it is a play for kids after all, so I accepted the offer. It's not often we get out of the house..."  
"Oh," the red said quietly.  
"You're free to join us of course, but I didn't think you'd want to."  
"You thought right," Gaara mumbled.  
Chiyo smiled at him, "So, I asked Neji if he could stop by and keep you company."  
Gaara rolled his eyes, "I don't need a babysitter."  
"Then look at it as having a friend visiting."  
"Whatever," Gaara stood, taking his plate over to the counter.  
"We'll only be gone a few hours, but I prefer to know that there's someone here with you in case something happens..."  
"Somehow," Gaara said, heading towards the kitchen door, "I doubt that this is what he signed up for."

He exited the kitchen, the door closing behind him.  
Gaara leaned against it, and failed to hold back a small, apprehensive smile.  
Two minutes later he was nearly knocked out as the door came flying open again.

"Watch it, will ya?"  
"Sorry," Naruto grinned sheepishly, "What are you still standing here for?"  
"I...Don't know..." Gaara chewed on his bottom lip.  
"Are you ok?"  
"Yeah, jeez."  
Naruto shrugged, "Just checking."  
"You're going now?"  
"Yeah," Naruto started up the stairs, his friend following, "I'm just gonna change."

* * *

"Which one?" the blonde asked, holding up the two shirts Sakura had bought him, "Black or orange?"  
"Does it matter?"  
"Well..." Naruto looked a little embarrassed, "Yes..."

He had to admit that there was a part of him that wanted to look good for tonight, - For Sasuke, even though the party would be a disaster.  
Gaara didn't need to know that though.

Naruto praised himself lucky that his best friend wasn't of the nosy kind. In fact, he appreciated it so much, that he handed Gaara the black shirt; "You know what, you'd look really good in this one! Try it on."

The red stared at him, "What?"  
"Come on! Try it on!"  
"But...I'm not going anywhere."  
"No, but still! Go on!" Naruto thrust the cloth into Gaara's hands. He gripped the shirt Gaara was currently wearing, and started tugging it upwards.  
"Fine!" Gaara pushed him away, getting his shirt off, putting the black one on.  
"It's too big."  
Naruto eyed his friend carefully, "Not much. It's a bit loose, but that's just cool. Button it up!"

Gaara did as told, meanwhile Naruto slipped the orange shirt on, over a dark tank top with an orange swirl printed on the chest.

"Very handsome!" he grinned, looking at himself in the mirror, "And you too!"  
"Idiot," Gaara smiled.  
"Keep the buttons closed though," Naruto warned, "You never know what kind of ideas that pervert might get..."  
"Would you quit it?"  
"Sorry, but I don't like the thought of you being alone with him."  
"Just go to your party," Gaara pushed him towards the door, "I'll be fine. If he tries to rape me, I'll call you," his voice was sour and sarcastic, but playful.  
"You'd better," the blonde said, hugging him swiftly.  
Gaara pulled away, he never got entirely used to Naruto being so physical.  
"I'll be back later tonight. Unless Sasuke-teme decides to kill me..."  
"Right. Have fun."  
"I will! Bye!"

Naruto stormed down the stairs, into the kitchen, got the cake and was out the door.

* * *

With his heart in his throat, it was a very nervous Naruto who rang the doorbell of Sasuke's house. He'd put the cake in a paper bag, so Sasuke couldn't see it.  
It was supposed to be a surprise after all.

Sasuke looked a little weary when he opened the door.  
He glanced at the bag in Naruto's hand, "Your books, right?"  
"What?" Naruto said, and then remembered his lame excuse for visiting, "Yeah! We're supposed to study.." he rubbed his neck, laughing.  
The raven stared at him, shaking his head. "Come on in," he said, moving aside.

Naruto followed Sasuke into the hall.

"Just go on upstairs," Sasuke said, "I'll be right up."  
"Ah, ok..." Naruto nodded, heading up the stairs to Sasuke's room.  
His footsteps echoed in the empty mansion. It was sort of eerie.  
How did Sasuke survive living alone in this place?  
He looked down the hall, wondering what was behind all those doors, but didn't dare to open any, just went straight into Sasuke's room, sitting down on the bed.  
Just as the last time, it was perfectly neat; not a thing out of order, no clothes on the floor.  
It bore no trace of anyone living here.  
But it was still Sasuke's room. Naruto fell back onto the mattress.  
Turning his head, he caught a whiff of Sasuke's scent on the bedspread.  
He smiled.

Sasuke opened the cupboard, taking out a couple of glasses.  
He could feel someone's eyes on his back, but refused to turn around.

__

"You're not here."

Still not looking, he opened the fridge, taking out the bottle of soda he'd bought for today. He didn't really care for it himself; it was too sweet. But he reckoned Naruto'd like it.

Taking the bottle and glasses, he walked out of the kitchen.

"Study hard, little brother," the cold voice sent shivers down Sasuke's spine.

__

"You are **not **

_here!"_

He failed to convince himself, and pretty much ran up the stairs and up to his room.

His heart was pounding violently, but he forced himself to regain his composure before going inside. Only to lose it again when he found the blonde sprawled on his bed.  
The horror he'd felt moments ago was forgotten in that instant.

Sasuke swallowed, staring at Naruto.

"What?" Naruto asked him.  
"Nothing," Sasuke shook his head, setting down the glasses and bottle on the small table by the bed. He sat next to Naruto.

Nothing. Yeah right.

Naruto had looked so stunning right now, that Sasuke'd had to hold himself back, not to jump the blonde. But of course he couldn't tell him that.  
Actually, he was shocked himself, at how quickly his feelings for Naruto were developing.

He had to think of something else... With the two of them alone like this things could get out of hand, and he might end up driving Naruto away. The blonde'd ran off once before, so he had to be careful not to scare him off again. Even if things were different now.

"Should we get started?" he asked, ridding himself of the thoughts.  
"We can't really," Naruto smiled.  
"What?"  
"I didn't really bring my books..."  
"You didn't?"  
"No." the blonde teen smiled secretively.  
"Then what's in the bag?"  
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Naruto moved closer, touching his lips softly to the corner of Sasuke's mouth.  
"I would, yeah." the raven's tongue flicked out, running over Naruto's lips.

They kissed. The meeting of tongues deepened the kiss, Naruto's hand found Sasuke's hair, fisting in it. He moaned quietly against Sasuke's lips.

Smiling he pulled away, nervously reaching into the paper bag.

"Close your eyes," he commanded.  
"Tch," Sasuke frowned, but closed his eyes anyway.  
"Alright..." Naruto took the cake out of the bag, placing it on the table, taking off the plastic lid covering it. He leaned over to the Uchiha again.  
"You can open them now," his lips ghosted over the shell of Sasuke's ear, "Happy Birthday."  
Sasuke's eyes flew open, "How do you kn-"

His gaze fell on the cake.  
His eyes darted up again, meeting with Naruto's.  
The blonde's cheeks were flushing with a becoming shade of pink.

"I..." he started.  
"You made this?"  
"Well...yeah..."

Sasuke stared down at the cake again, not taking his eyes off it for a second.

"Woah...A cake..." he chuckled quietly. "Thanks..."  
"Is something wrong?" Naruto asked nervously.  
"No...It's just..." Sasuke's lip quirked slightly, "I don't like sweets..."  
"You don't...Oh shit!" Naruto smacked himself on the forehead. He blushed even harder.  
"No, but...it's really...uh...sweet of you." Sasuke smiled.  
"Sweet?" Naruto giggled, "I never thought you'd say anything like that. Or rather, I didn't think you were capable of it."  
"Well," Sasuke pursed his lips, "You are. And...Although I don't care much for cakes, it looks good. Really."  
"So you'll eat it?" Naruto asked hopefully.  
"I'll _taste_ it."  
Naruto grinned, "Go ahead!"

He watched Sasuke reach out his hand, coating two fingers carefully with whipped cream sprinkled with chocolate, leading it to his lips.  
His insides swelled, seeing the raven's pale lips close around the fingers, tasting the cream.

Sasuke clicked his tongue, "It's...not bad."  
"You hate it."  
"I don't hate it," Sasuke said, having another taste, "I just don't like sweets. You really don't remember that?"  
"Remember...?"

Sasuke smiled at him; there was something bitter in the way he smiled though. A dark shadow crept over his face.

"Or rather..." he started, "I can't believe _I_ still remember it. It's silly really... But you asked me once, when my birthday was, and I never told you."

_"All those years ago..."  
_Naruto heard his own voice in his head.

"The next day, you...God, this is so lame," Sasuke interrupted himself, "You gave me this muffin... This...muffin with pink topping and sprinkles... I have no idea where you got it...But you were so happy about it, and then you said, I remember the exact words; 'We'll just pretend that today is your birthday!' he smiled.  
"I did?" Naruto stared at him.  
"You did. And even though I told you that I couldn't stand sweets, you practically forced me to eat the whole thing. I don't think I've ever felt that sick in my life."  
Naruto burst out laughing.

Sasuke's hand found his cheek; fingers brushing over Naruto's whiskered cheeks.  
Scars that they had yet to talk about.  
There were still so many things they needed to say to each other... But not now...

"You're the same as ever, Naruto."  
"So are you," Naruto replied, "Only meaner."  
"Hn," Sasuke smirked, silencing him with his lips.

He tasted sweet of the cake topping.  
Sweet and intoxicating.

"So how'd you find out anyway?"  
"About what?"  
"That today's my birthday."  
"Oh, that," Naruto said, loading another slice of cake onto his plate, "I heard it from Sakura and the others."  
"Sakura, of course," Sasuke sighed, "She's freaking me out."  
Naruto laughed, "She's not that bad!"  
"She doesn't stalk you." Sasuke retorted for about the gazillionth time, he put down his glass with a low 'clink', "Didn't you _like_ Sakura by the way?"  
"I thought so too..." Naruto said thoughtfully.  
"But?"  
The blonde grinned, "I like you better."  
"Usuratonkatchi," Sasuke smirked, kissing him hastily.

He pulled away just as quickly.  
Was that a creak in the stairs?  
He felt his skin crawl.

"Sasuke?" Naruto looked at him, wondering.  
"Uh...Never mind..." Sasuke said, smiling slightly, but his eyes were darting nervously around the room. "What do you say we go somewhere, huh?"  
"No!" Naruto almost yelled, "I mean..." he looked at his cellphone. They'd agreed for him to bring Sasuke around seven. It was ten to now. "Sure," he smiled, "Let's go somewhere."

Sasuke seemed overly relieved.  
Naruto said nothing though. And it didn't seem like Sasuke noticed that he'd taken a note of it either.  
He kept an eye on the Uchiha when they made their way downstairs and out the door.

Sasuke seemed to avoid looking anywhere but straight ahead, and pretty much slammed the door shut behind them when they exited the mansion.  
He offered no explanation, just lead Naruto to the car.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked, breaking the silence.  
"How about the beach?" Naruto asked carefully, hoping it didn't sound too revealing.  
"The beach?" Sasuke repeated, looking at him, "Now?"  
"Yeah, now. I like it there..." he continued hopefully.  
Sasuke shrugged, "Whatever, if that's what you want."  
"Could we drop by the store first?"  
"Sure," Sasuke nodded, steering the car out on the road.

Naruto was already sporting cold sweats.  
He rushed into the store as soon as Sasuke parked the car.  
Once hidden behind some tall shelves, he picked up his phone, texting Sakura: '_we're on our way, get ready.'  
_He had no idea what the others had planned; if they were to jump out and scream 'surprise' or something along those lines, but he hoped not. Dragging Sasuke out to a place full of people he hardly knew was bad enough as it was.  
Seconds later he got her cheerful reply. '_Okay! We're ready! -'_

He paid for his merchandise and rushed out to the car again.

"Here," he said, handing the bag to Sasuke.  
"What's this?"  
"Since you hated the cake-"  
"I didn't _hate_ it!"  
"It doesn't matter! At least you _like_ what's in the bag!"  
Sasuke peeked into the plastic bag, and didn't know whether to frown or laugh. "Are you kidding?"  
"What? You think I could refrain from it? I've been joking about it pretty much all week, right?"  
Sasuke fumbled with the contents of the bag.  
"But still," he said, shaking his head, "Tomatoes, tomato juice, tomato sauce, tomato soup, _canned tomatoes_?!"  
Naruto laughed, taking the can from him, "At least you won't starve!"  
Sasuke shook his head again.  
"You're hopeless Uzumaki."

Naruto had always had the impression that it was cooler at the beach than in the city, but now he highly doubted it.  
Just walking from the car was dreadful, even though it was so late already; the heat met them like a wall from the moment they opened the car door.  
Sasuke didn't remark it, but in any case that was the least of Naruto's problems. Actually he just wanted to grab Sasuke's hand and run away. There was still a chance they'd make it, and Sasuke would never have to know about the...

"Do you hear something?"

...party.

Naruto heard it too, but he'd tried to ignore the beats from the music.

"I guess...someone's here..." he mumbled.  
"More like everyone," Sasuke said as they came over a small hill and looked down at the gang of teens assembled on the beach; dancing, playing volleyball and some even swimming. There was even a bonfire, despite the heat. And was that a band? The same band from the dance?

_"It's too late to run away now,"  
_Naruto braced himself.

"There they are!" someone yelled.  
"Alright! Now that all three of them are here;" someone yelled into the mic, interrupting the singer. Naruto thought it was Raidou's voice, "Let's all wish them our best!"

Right on cue, pretty much the whole crowd burst into song; "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..."

Sasuke turned, glaring at Naruto.  
"Did you know about this?"  
Naruto took a step back, "I'm _so_ sorry. They forced me!"

There was murder in Sasuke's dark eyes, but he said nothing more, simply grit his teeth at hearing his own name sung out between Kotetsu and Genma's.

"Well, come on!!" Raidou called for them, "Get down here!"

Naruto sent Sasuke an apologetic look, which wasn't returned.  
Nevertheless, the infuriated raven started heading down to the beach, Naruto following closely behind.

* * *

It was always strange to be alone at the orphanage, Gaara thought.  
Everything was so silent. Though, it was rarely _this_ quiet; usually when he was left alone here, Naruto'd be with him, and the blonde was anything but toned down.  
Neji on the other hand, was so quiet it was as if he wasn't even here.  
The brunette was in the living room, having started on his homework already. For a sexual predator, as Naruto called him, he was quite the nerd.

Gaara was in the kitchen. He was bored.  
Lacking anything else to do, he'd whipped up some cream, deciding to finish his cake.  
All that was left now was to coat the top, and decorate it.

"What are you doing?"  
Neji was standing in the doorway.  
Gaara turned to look at him. "Isn't it obvious?"  
"You're making a cake?"  
Gaara grunted. That's what he'd just said! It was obvious!  
"Whose birthday is it?"  
"No ones," Gaara shrugged, "I was helping Naruto, and then I never finished it." his answer was incoherent, but Neji seemed to accept it.  
"Can I help you with anything?" the Hyuuga asked.  
"I don't really need help," Gaara replied coolly, "I'm not as helpless as they want you to think."  
"That's not what I meant," Neji said, twirling a dark lock of hair around his finger, "But science gets sort of boring in the long run, don't you agree?"  
"I guess," Gaara sounded fairly uninterested.

It agitated the brunette.  
This detached person in front of him was more than just intriguing... He didn't find the words for it, and ended up just staring at him with vague interest.

"I suppose...You could get the strawberries from the fridge, and cut them in half..." Gaara said absentmindedly.  
"Alright," Neji got out the red berries, and started slicing them in half, placing them on the counter, next to Gaara.  
"Why'd Naruto want to make a cake all of a sudden?"  
"Today's Sasuke's birthday."  
"Oh. I didn't know."  
"Apparently, no one else did either, until yesterday," Gaara's voice was rejecting.  
"Hn," Neji took another strawberry, "It was my birthday on the third you know," he had no idea why he'd just said that.  
"Really?" Gaara asked, sounding just as indifferent, "You can have the cake if you want, I won't be able to eat it all by myself. And it's not like Naruto won't be getting enough cake tonight..."

He was so calm, the indifference he spoke with bordered on mechanical.  
Neji smiled at him.

"Yeah? Thanks."  
Gaara didn't reply.  
"Why aren't you at the party?" he asked instead.  
"The beach-thing?" Neji shrugged, "I don't know.. It's not really my thing. And I guess I'm not in the mood to take care of a wasted Lee."  
"Wasted?"  
"He always drinks too much at these things. Or rather...He has very low tolerance," Neji chuckled, "It's rather entertaining actually, as long as you're not the one who has to babysit him."  
"It seems you do that alot," Gaara's cold eyes surveyed him.

They caught his own, pale ones, and tossed him completely off balance.  
That, along with Gaara licking whipped cream from his own, slender, pale fingers.

"It just so happens that I- Ow! Fuck!"  
Gaara glanced over at the dark-haired boy, still licking his finger, "Did you cut yourself?"  
"Yeah...It's not deep...but it stings."  
"Let me see," Gaara reached out, taking his hand, looking at the small cut.

Without thinking, he took the other's finger in his mouth, sucking gently at it.  
Neji stared at him, slightly taken aback.  
Gaara stared back, without as much as a hint of hesitation in his green eyes.  
Slowly, he let go of the finger, but continued to hold Neji's gaze.  
For a long time, they just stared at each other, barely blinking.  
In reality it couldn't have been more than a few seconds, but it felt like so much longer.  
Their breath hung heavily in the tense air; each breath audible.  
They were so close to one another they could feel each heavy breath on their skin.  
Neither of them caught who made the first move as their lips met in a hard, possessive kiss.

Neji pushed Gaara back against the refrigerator.  
It felt cold on the red's back, through his shirt, but he welcomed it.  
Neji's body was so hot against his own; hands gripping around his wrists, holding him as his tongue danced over Gaara's lips, gained entrance and met with his own.  
He won the battle for dominance; gently exploring the red's lax mouth.

Gaara's head was spinning.  
His mind was clouded.  
His mouth willingly responded to each new kiss Neji engaged him in, and he couldn't understand _why_, it just felt so...amazing.  
He, who hated human contact, loved the sensation of Neji's hands on his body as the Hyuuga let go of his wrist, and unbuttoned the two top buttons in Gaara's shirt.  
The hand slipped inside, roaming over alabaster, burning skin.

Yet another kiss broke, and Neji's lips moved lower; to Gaara's jugular, down his neck, to his collarbone.  
The red shook against him, impatient little moans and gasps escaping his throat, revealing that the cold and cynical boy was indeed human.  
Neji bit down on the pale skin; sucked gently.

"Nnh..." Gaara moaned softly.

He caught himself wondering what the hell he was doing, but forced the thought aside.  
It didn't matter.  
Neji knew what he was doing, that much was certain, and that was all the red needed to know.

The little bites moved downwards, grew rougher. In-between them, Neji would trace kisses and brief licks along Gaara's skin.  
He pulled aside the red's shirt, kissing along his collarbone, down his chest.  
Gaara's free hand fisted in his hair, moved down, gripping at his shirt-clad back.  
The teen swallowed hard, pressing closer to the Hyuuga, begging him for more through impatient little whimpers.  
His pale skin was turning purple where Neji had kissed and bit him. It felt tender, slightly painful.

Their lips met again.  
Bodies pressed tightly against each other.  
The air around them was so hot, Gaara noticed.  
Not even the fridge pressing against his back felt cold anymore.  
He felt like he was burning up; like he was feverish.  
Nothing had ever had this impact on him; nothing had ever awakened so many new sensations in him. It struck him that this had to be the thing known as 'desire'.

Supposedly, desire was dangerous.  
So be it, he was willing to follow Neji's lead, wherever it may take him...

The Hyuuga's hand wandered lower, along his inner thigh.  
Gaara inhaled sharply, stifling his own gasp with Neji's lips; breathing heavily into the kiss, biting down at the brunette's bottom lip.

"I want you..." Neji whispered huskily, into his ear.

Gaara parted his lips to speak, when they both winced at the sound of the front door opening.

"We're home!"

The two teens jumped apart; Neji quickly taking a seat at the table, Gaara buttoning up his shirt, continuing to put strawberries on the cake.  
His heart was racing in his chest, and his skin felt like it was burning still.

"My God!" Chiyo exclaimed, entering the kitchen, "It's so hot in here! You could open a window you know!"  
She didn't wait, but opened one herself.

Minutes later the room was full of kids who all babbled excitedly about the play they'd just seen while begging to have a taste of the cake.  
Gaara nodded and mumbled answers, avoiding Neji's look completely, because he was sure that if he looked at him, he'd die.

Desire was dangerous.  
But...  
He wished them all to be gone, so he could experience more of it.

* * *

"I can't believe you were in on this!" Sasuke glared at Naruto.  
"S-sorry..." Naruto stared down at the ground, "But...they wouldn't take no for an answer, and I tried to tell them..." he frowned, "I'm sorry...Are you mad?"

Sasuke was mad.  
In fact, he was utterly pissed off.  
But during the last 45 minutes, in between all the congratulations and presents and barbequed food and cake...he'd gone many rounds with himself.  
Although he'd wanted nothing more than to have this day pass quietly, he was glad he didn't have to spend it in the house, alone.  
And he felt fairly good; with no side effects bothering him for once.  
And...when Naruto begged him for his forgiveness, putting up his dazzling blue puppy eyes, he had a real hard time staying mad.

But Naruto didn't have to know that.  
Not now.  
He wanted him to suffer a little first.

"I don't even know half of these people!" he hissed, "And I don't care if they all know _me_!"

Naruto seemed at a loss for words, for once.  
Sasuke almost felt sorry for him. But yelling was easier than acting mellow after all...Even if they were the only ones sitting on the rocks several feet away from everyone else.

"You _know_ I hate these things!"  
"I know..."  
"I sort of expected something like this from Sakura and the others... but you?"  
Naruto squirmed.  
"I did tell them that the condition was that you'd get to leave when you wanted..."  
"You told them..." Sasuke snorted, rubbing his temple.  
Naruto turned his head, sighing heavily.  
"Look at me," Sasuke said, griping the blonde's chin.

Naruto looked up at him, with genuine guilt in his eyes.  
Sasuke couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks," he touched their lips together.

Naruto's heart fluttered. He thought he heard something behind them, but brushed it off as the other didn't seem to notice.  
His hand found Sasuke's on the rocks.  
Sasuke kissed him _here!  
_Here, at a party with pretty much the entire school.  
Anyone could see them, and still...

"Let's go back," Sasuke whispered, breaking the kiss, "I can't miss my own party, can I? Not that it matters...I only know our group anyway...And there's still two more guests of honor."  
"I'm sorry." Naruto said again, rubbing his neck.  
"I'll get revenge, somehow," Sasuke smirked at him.  
"Fine," Naruto pursed his lips, "But you _will_ enjoy yourself."  
"Hn," Sasuke snorted, "You think so eh? Well, get this dobe, I'm _not_ dancing with you tonight."  
"I didn't expect you to," Naruto replied, nudging him with his shoulder. "I won't dance either."  
"You can still have fun."  
"I'd rather keep you company."  
"It's fine already," Sasuke insisted, "As long as you only dance once with the same girl."  
"Was that a _joke_ Uchiha?" Naruto smirked, eyeing the raven.

"Where were you two?!" Sakura demanded when they found the group again.  
"Sorry, but the king of sulky wasn't pleased." Naruto laughed.  
Sasuke glowered at him, saying nothing.  
"I was afraid you'd ran off to get-"  
"Shitfaced?" Kiba suggested.  
"Something like that..." the girl frowned, "You should see Lee...He's _really_ out of it! Apparently he's only had one drink, but well...Tenten had her struggles keeping him on his feet."  
"At least he leaves you alone, right?" Chouji pointed out.  
"I wish," she laughed, "He's still following me around. When he can walk in a straight line that is."  
She glanced over at Naruto, "With him out of the picture though, you'll dance with me again, right?"  
"Of course he will," Sasuke said, biting Naruto off, "Isn't that right?"  
"I guess... " Naruto eyed him cautiously.

Either the Uchiha was gonna wear him out as his revenge, or he was trying to create a scenario he could take advantage of later, saying how Naruto'd ignored him all night.

"And maybe we'll get to dance with the birthday boy too?" Ino giggled, hopefully.  
"Of course!" Naruto smirked, pushing Sasuke forward.

This time Sasuke really did have a murderous intent in his eyes when he looked at him.

"Fine," Sasuke sighed, "On one condition; it _has_ to be slowdancing."  
The girls squealed with delight.  
"I refuse to jump around like an idiot," Sasuke finished.

The band started up with a new song which just happened to be a slow one.

"What a coincidence!" Ino grinned, grabbing Sasuke's hand. Unwillingly, the Uchiha followed her.  
"Come on!" Sakura smiled, grabbing Naruto's hand as well.

After the song was over, the girls switched partners.  
Ino seemed a bit disappointed, whilst Sakura looked like she was in heaven.  
Sasuke seemed to have had enough of it already.  
Naruto almost felt sorry for him.  
And... Somehow, even though he knew that the Uchiha couldn't stand the two girls, he felt a little jealous at seeing them with their arms around Sasuke.

__

His

Sasuke.

He spotted Kotetsu and Izumo, dancing down by the stage. They were completely infatuated with each other, if not slightly tipsy, dancing totally unaffected by the crowd around them.  
Both had party hats on, sitting slightly crooked on top of unruly, dark hair.

He glanced over at Sasuke.  
It seemed he had seen them as well.

Naruto turned Ino around, feeling that slight yearning to dance with Sasuke like that again.  
Even if it was for just a few seconds...

"Come on!" he dragged Ino over to Sakura and Sasuke. "Sorry to interrupt," he smiled, "But we said we'd switch, didn't we?"  
Sasuke's eyes dug into his. "What the hell are you doing?!" he hissed.  
Naruto tore Sakura from the raven's grip.  
"I just thought it'd be fun." he winked at him.  
No one needed to know anything else.  
Sakura and Ino looked at him in disbelief.  
"What?" Naruto grinned, "Maybe this is just my bad excuse to see two hot girls dancing, huh?"  
Sakura shook her head.  
Ino laughed.  
But the two girls did join in on the fun, spending the next fifty seconds dancing with each other.  
Meanwhile Naruto inhaled Sasuke's scent, with the raven's arms wrapped around him.  
They weren't pressed as tightly together as the last time, but they were close enough for him to hear it when Sasuke whispered into his hair; "Idiot."  
"Hn," Naruto smiled.

Seconds later the music went upbeat again, and Sasuke dragged Naruto back to the bonfire.

"You don't hate it so much now, do you?" Naruto probed, teasing him.  
Sasuke refused to answer him.

"What the hell was that?" Kiba demanded the second they sat down.  
"What?" Naruto grinned.  
"No comment," Sasuke rolled his eyes.  
"It was what it was," the blonde said, ending the discussion, snagging some food from his plate.  
"Hey!"  
"Where's Shika?"  
"Over there," Shino pointed down the beach, to the crowd dancing.  
"He's dancing?" Sasuke asked, as if that was weird, when _he_ had just been dancing, and with a guy no less.  
"Yeah," Shino nodded.

Naruto searched the crowd. He spotted Sakura and Ino, who were now accompanied by Lee, who was pretty much clinging to the pink-haired girl.  
He surveyed the crowd further, until he spotted his friend, "No way! Is that?"  
"Who?"  
"The girl he's dancing with! I know her!"  
"Well duh," Kiba said, "It's not that big of a town you know."  
"Hold on," Naruto shushed him, "I think they're coming over."  
As the couple approached, Naruto's guess turned out to be right.

The girl hanging from Shikamaru's arm was Temari. Gaara's sister.  
He stared at her.

"Naruto! Hi!" she chirped. The tone in her voice gave off that she wasn't all that sober.  
"Taking advantage of drunk girls now Shika?" Kiba remarked dryly.  
"Fuck off."  
"You know him?" Shikamaru asked the girl.  
"Of course she does!" Naruto exclaimed, "She's Gaara's big sister!"

Briefly it looked like Shikamaru's eyes were about to pop out of their sockets.

"I didn't know you liked younger guys," he grinned.  
"I didn't know you liked guys," she retorted.

Naruto mumbled something, looking away.

"Besides, he's kinda cute!" she smiled. "And it was only a couple of dances anyway! For now," she winked at her young dance partner.  
Shikamaru looked slightly uncomfortable.  
"I still don't get how you got him to dance!" Kiba looked perplexed.  
"I asked him of course!" she said as if it was the easiest thing in the world to make Konoha's laziest boy dance. "And then he kinda just...didn't let me go!" she laughed.  
"Right..." Naruto shook his head, laughing, "I hope Kankurou is here to take you home?"  
"He's around somewhere..." she gesticulated.  
"Why are you here anyway?" Naruto continued to inquire.  
"Believe it or not, but I happen to know Izumo!"  
"Fine, I believe you." he replied before she got into a long rant about how he was the cousin of her best friend's mother's nephew or whatever.

The hours passed quickly with the music playing and fire burning.

Even after they'd stopped dancing, everyone was in high spirits, and the chatter went on excitedly. Even Sakura was laughing at Lee's drunken antics. While Tenten was frantically trying to drag him away from her, to get him home.

"Did you forget that you promised to help out Gai-sensei tomorrow?!"  
Lee slurred something that was impossible to catch.  
"Hey," Naruto said, turning to Kiba, "Where's Hinata?"  
The boy shrugged, "I guess she went to get some refreshments or something... I haven't seen her since we were dancing about an hour ago..."  
"Maybe she ran into someone," Shino suggested.  
"That's too bad," Naruto glanced over at Sasuke, who was impatiently waiting for him a bit further away, "I was hoping to dance with her or something before we left...But I guess not..."  
"Hurry up dobe!"  
"Say hi from me, 'kay?"  
"We will."  
"See you guys!" He waved at the lot of them, chasing after Sasuke up the hill towards the parking lot.

* * *

Naruto came in around 00.30. Though he'd been home already at midnight, he'd been held up.  
He smiled to himself, thinking about the long goodbye with Sasuke.  
His lips were swollen from kissing, he found when he touched them.

"You're home late," Gaara pointed out.  
Naruto grinned at him, "What did you expect?"  
"Nothing really," Gaara shrugged, "Did you have fun?"  
"Yeah!" the blonde plopped down on his bed, starting to undress, "You'll never guess who was there!"  
"Tell me," Gaara said, sounding mildly uninterested.  
"Your sis."  
"Temari?" the red seemed slightly more interested now.  
"Yeah, she was totally drunk."  
"My sister? Drunk?"  
"Well...Maybe not drunk...Tipsy. Anyway, she was _totally_ clinging on Shika all night!"  
"Shikamaru? _That_ Shikamaru?"  
"Yeah!" Naruto nodded energetically.  
"She must've been _really _drunk..."

The blonde chuckled.

"Kankurou was there too, but I didn't see him... He's supposedly the designated driver."  
"Hah," Gaara snorted, "They're screwed."

Naruto summarized the rest of the party, leaving out certain bits of course.  
Still, Gaara almost choked when he got to the part about the dancing.

"You _danced_ with _Uchiha Sasuke_?!"  
"Yeah! For like fifty seconds. Is that so hard to believe?!"  
"Well...yeah!""Tch," Naruto said, "It's not like it was a big deal. It was just for fun and-" he stopped himself. "Since when do you sleep in a shirt?"  
"Huh?" Gaara looked down himself.  
There was no way he'd tell Naruto that he was covering up the marks Neji had left on him.  
"That t-shirt you're wearing," Naruto pointed at him, "Since when do you sleep with a shirt on? And in this heat?"  
"Since when do I _sleep_, Uzumaki?" Gaara promptly retorted, turning off the lights.  
That was the end of that discussion.  
Naruto was beat, but before he drifted off to sleep he managed to catch the message that ticked in on his phone;

'_I actually had fun tonight, dobe. So I guess I should say thanks. 'Night'_

_

* * *

_

TBC

I've spent all day editing this thing because of the double line-spacing crap.. So if there's any mistakes or weirdness somewhere, feel free to let me know. I'm too tired to do any more with this thing now. I hope you've enjoyed the chapter!!


	11. Hachigatsu

****

Author's note:

Firstly, I want to thank Ari aka Sasquatchsnake; her ideas really helped me work out the details for this chapter.

Secondly, I don't really know much about Japanese family graves or Obon Festival, but I followed Wikipedia, and did as best I could. Sorry if I've screwed up something.

And third, this chapter is unbeta'd and will remain so for a while, as Nic's computer was fried in a storm OO  
Expect that a few things may be edited in this chapter after a while. I'm not that happy with it. But I'll notify you guys if I make any major changes.

Sorry about my failing to update last week! I somehow managed to get myself an eye-infection, and on top of that I was super busy! SORRY! But at least this chapter is looooong.

**Warnings:** Boykissing. Lots of it. And the fluffiest opening evar. It's mushy enough to make me feel embarrassed. D:

* * *

********

Hachigatsu

Naruto was thinking about Sasuke.  
Not that there was anything new about that; he'd been thinking about the other boy pretty much constantly for months.  
And still, it was different now.  
It _was _new.  
Because Naruto was in love.  
He was so in love with Sasuke, he was in love with the feeling itself.  
It was absolutely insane.  
After almost 18 years of living, this feeling had struck him, so suddenly and so powerful that he had a hard time believing it was possible.

Of course, it wasn't as if he'd noticed just now; he and Sasuke had been a couple for almost a month, and he'd certainly had feelings for him before too..  
It was just so much stronger now.

He didn't see the world in pastel colors, nor did he hear birdsong and notice how beautiful everything was. There wasn't much of an extra spring in his step when he dragged himself to school for summer classes, and he certainly didn't walk around smiling all the time.

But it made him think.  
Constantly.  
About Sasuke.  
About the two of them.  
The bond they shared.  
The blonde firmly believed that it was this bond that had them moving from a dysfunctional friendship and into a relationship. They didn't need to get to know each other, simply because of the security they both felt when they were together.  
But the bond was still buried in the past.

Constantly thoughts were occupying his mind.  
Lately, all of them had been about little, almost unnoticeable details he'd found in Sasuke's behavior.  
Things that bothered him.  
Things that Sasuke never spoke of.  
Just like he still hadn't told Naruto what kind of medication it was that had caused him to get so sick that time, or why he tended to wait for Naruto, sleeping in his car in the mornings.  
Or how some tiny little thing could trigger Sasuke's moodswings and make him impossible without reason. Or where it was he went whenever he claimed to have an appointment and took off.

Naruto was in love with Sasuke, but he didn't know him.  
He thought about him constantly, but he didn't understand him.  
In fact, the fox found himself getting more confused.

Naruto sat up in bed, looking around.  
These thoughts always came at night, after everything had gone quiet. After Sasuke'd seen him off. Now that summer was over them, they were together from the afternoon and until evening.  
It left him with no time to think, until he was tucked in and ready to sleep.  
Only he couldn't.  
The hot weather and the humidity hanging in the air had a fair share of the blame, but mostly it was the blonde himself who unwillingly caused his waking hours.

Across the room from him, even Gaara was sleeping.  
The read-head had been unusually quiet lately, even for him.  
But at least he'd been sleeping at least two nights in a row now, which Naruto took as a good sign.

Yet, he almost wished for his friend to fall back into his habits; just so there would be someone here with him. Just the noise of someone scurrying about in the room; the pages of a book turning or something.  
He needed Gaara to be awake so he himself didn't have to think until the headache forced him to fall asleep.  
Not that his thoughts were terrible or anything. They were just confusing. And they kept him awake.

It wasn't even dark in the room; just a slight blueish shadow creeping in from the corners.  
Outside their window the sky was just slightly darker than in the daytime; far too light for anyone to believe it was two in the morning.

Naruto stepped over to the window, opening it, hoping that the fresh air would help him sleep.  
Looking down at the street, he spotted a car.  
It was parked in the shadows, so he couldn't identify it. But he was pretty sure...  
His fingertips pressed against the glass as he leaned forward, trying to see better.  
"Sasuke?" he mouthed.

Minutes later the car drove off.  
The Uzumaki shook his head.  
Of course it wasn't Sasuke.  
Why would Sasuke stalk around his house at two in the morning?  
Then again, why did Sasuke do a lot of things?  
This though, if his eyes weren't indeed deceiving him, this was just plain _weird_.  
"I must be mistaken..." he mumbled, getting back under the thin covers.

Gaara shifted on his bed, the sheets making a soft ruffling sound.  
His breath was light, even though he was sleeping. It was barely audible but still...  
It was somewhat comforting.  
The blonde's lip curved slightly upwards before he drifted off into dreamless sleep.

* * *

When Naruto asked the Uchiha about it a few days later, using the oh-so subtle words _'freaky stalker',_ Sasuke merely brushed him off, saying that yes, there was a possibility he'd driven past that night, and no, he had not been there.  
It made no sense.  
Just like the raven didn't.  
Naruto felt frustrated, but didn't want to nag at the other.  
Sasuke didn't seem to be at the top of the world lately. Not that he had ever, but there was something that Naruto couldn't quite pin point, something that was gnawing in the back of his mind constantly, even when Sasuke possessed him with those kisses of his.

The situation was similar to the one with Gaara; who had gone so quiet.  
Yet it was so different. Because Naruto, as perhaps the only person in the world, dared to nag at Gaara, and force him to spill what was on his mind.  
With Sasuke that just wasn't an option.  
Whether it was the fact that Naruto felt it was way too early to invade the raven's privacy so utterly without permission, or the recollection of abandonment, and fear of that very thing that still clung to him, he couldn't tell.  
He just waited.

If something was really bothering Sasuke, he'd tell right?

Maybe he was just confused.  
Most likely, since the step they'd taken was so big.  
Naruto himself for example hadn't really thought about his sexuality at all until Sasuke kissed him in the gym that time, and maybe he didn't think about it then either.  
In truth, he wasn't fretting over it.  
He wasn't walking around wondering if he was gay or bi or whatever.  
He was just in love with Sasuke.  
And it felt right.  
And that was all that mattered to him right now.

But...

He _really_ wanted to know what was going on inside of Sasuke's head.

"Uzumaki, do you realize that there is no point in having you here for summer classes if you're set on failing these as well," Mizuki's sour voice broke through Naruto's thoughts.  
"Sorry," Naruto mumbled absentmindedly.  
"I should give you an extra pop quiz, just to punish you..." the teacher muttered, making his way back to the black board.  
"Well then," he said, "Since you find modern history so _interesting, _how about reciting the factors that contributed to the fall of the Berlin Wall?"  
The blonde groaned.  
After giving his half-assed reply, he reverted back to wondering where Sasuke'd been going after dropping him off thirty minutes ago.  
Not surprisingly, he hadn't given as much as a hint.

* * *

Sasuke glared at his therapist.  
Everything in this room seemed to agitate him right now, from the purple chairs, to the plants in the windowsill. And especially Anko.  
Of course she knew best. Why wouldn't she?  
She was a psychiatrist, he thought with sarcasm.  
As long as you have a degree, you know better than those without.

"Sasuke, would you please say something?" the woman probed.

"What do you want me to say?" Sasuke snarled, crossing his arms over his chest in a demonstrative manner. "You've already decided everything yourself. I don't have a say, do I?"  
"You can still tell me how you feel about it?"  
"About you sending me away?" Sasuke glared at her, "How do_ you_ think I feel about it? There's nothing wrong with me-"  
"You're hallucinating,"  
"You don't know that,"  
Anko sighed, "Then how do you explain what you just told me? About seeing your brother everywhere?"  
Sasuke couldn't answer that question.  
"I'm not crazy," the words fell out of him after a long silence.  
"Nobody's saying you're crazy Sasuke," Anko leaned forward, placing her hand gently on his knee. Sasuke shook it angrily off. "It's probably just a side-effect to the medicines..."  
"Then how come you're having me locked up?"  
"Firstly, you're not being locked up, you'll be placed under supervision. And second, I was just mentioning it. Nothing has been decided, and nothing will be until I've talked this over with your doctor and the chief of staff at the-"  
"Mental hospital." Sasuke finished her sentence for her.  
She frowned, "Clinic,"  
"It's the same thing." Sasuke hissed.  
"In any case," the woman said, giving up on the argument, "I want you to keep taking the Xanax for now. Same dosage."  
Sasuke's eyebrow twitched, his hands clenching the armrests of the purple chair.  
"Why would you keep me on them if you're so certain it's the meds that cause me to see..." he trailed off, but bounced back angrily; "What the hell is that good for!?"  
"We can't be sure that it's the Xanax that causes you to hallucinate," Anko said calmly, "if we take you off them now there's no guarantee you'll feel better. Chances are you'll get worse. If that happens it's better to have you under supervision in a controlled environment. You understand this, don't you?"

He understood.  
He didn't want to, but he understood perfectly; because of some lame flaw in the system, he would have to go back to that place again.  
He would have to be surrounded by doctors, nurses and crazies for God knew how long.  
And...He'd have to leave Naruto.  
Panic seized him.  
He remained calm on the outside, whilst the emotions raged within him.

He'd finally found the blonde.  
Finally gotten close to him.  
There was no way in Hell he'd leave him now!

"Sasuke?" Anko shook him gently.  
He looked up at her. At that moment it was like all will to fight was sucked out of him.  
Sasuke felt empty.

His gaze seemed to ask 'help me', and it made Anko's chest sting and ache for him.  
The only way Sasuke could be helped though was impossible for the teen to accept it seemed.

"Look, I want you to think about it when you get home. Get used to the thought. It's not a big deal, really."  
Sasuke didn't grace her with a response.  
"I think you should be as little alone as possible," the woman went on, scribbling on her clipboard, "So maybe you should stay with Kakashi for a few days. Hm?"

He nodded, absentmindedly.  
It ached in him.

"I will contact you in a few days, when the meeting is over, and inform you on our decision. In the meantime you should try to keep yourself busy; activity keeps the hallucinations at bay, didn't you say so?"  
He nodded again.  
"If anything happens, or if you feel worse, call me at once."  
Sasuke looked at her, confirming that he understood.  
Though, the raven knew that even if his condition worsened and his 'family' appeared and took him on a summer trip to the Bahamas, he wouldn't let her know.  
They were _not_ locking him up again, that much was for sure.

The young Uchiha was shaky when he made his way down the hall towards the exit, minutes later.  
Anko watched him, her heart still stinging for the boy.  
Her well-trained eyes could see that he was slouching slightly, his back not as straight and proud as it would usually be.  
She sighed, "It's for the best Sasuke."

* * *

Whoever had decided the schedule for these stupid classes deserved to suffer a painful death, Naruto decided on the first day of Summer Classes.  
Even though he was so used to it now, it still bugged him; he'd been pleased to hear that he'd only have classes two days a week, but that wasn't much help when he had to attend _six_ hours of the same subject on one day.

Kiba also had to spend his summer this way, but the brunette didn't have modern history, so Naruto was on his own for this one.  
Thus, he was forced to eat alone at lunch.  
He saw Sai, sitting with a few others at a table at the far end of the cafeteria.  
As far as Naruto knew, the raven hadn't failed any classes; he'd passed, barely. So most likely he was attending Deidara's art classes.

It always struck him as amazing how someone in the _art club_ could be such a jerk-off.  
He'd always thought artists were fair, gentle people.  
Then again, he didn't believe in stereotypes.

Naruto ate his lunch quickly and headed back up the stairs towards the classroom.  
Only two more hours...

He sighed, heading up the third flight of stairs.  
Why was it that they had to switch around everything for these classes? Why couldn't modern history be in it's usual classroom? It wasn't as if anyone used it anyway. Naruto had checked.  
Pondering about this as well as other completely useless things, the blonde made his way down the hall, not looking to the left nor to the right.  
Thus, a shriek of surprise cut through the air as Naruto suddenly found himself being dragged into the bathroom on his left.

"Uwah-!"  
"Shut up, dobe," Sasuke's low voice hissed, and then before Naruto barely had time to process what was happening, he'd been pressed up against the cold, tiled walls, with Sasuke's lips crushing hard down on his own.  
He protested, but it came out as nothing but a weak whimper, which seemed to only egg the other on.  
"S-Sasuke..?" he breathed, breaking the forceful kiss.  
What the hell had gotten into the Uchiha? He seemed almost...possessed.  
He'd seemed perfectly normal this morning; quiet and brooding, if not slightly weird.  
"Don't talk..." Sasuke hissed, silencing the blonde with his lips, whilst forcing Naruto's legs apart with his knee, pressing it lightly up against Naruto's groin.  
"Nn..."

Should he protest?  
Naruto wanted to...But the lips that had moved on to his neck, felt way too good for him to utter a single word.

He shivered, clutching Sasuke's shirt, involuntarily tilting his head to the side, giving him better access.  
The raven's hand went up under his shirt, as his kisses moved lower, aiming for his collarbone, and then back up, pale lips ghosting over his jugular, small pecks dancing along Naruto's jaw line.

"Mmh..Sa-su-ke..." Naruto gasped out the Uchiha's name, writhing between Sasuke's body and the wall.

The Uchiha's searching fingers brushes over a nipple underneath Naruto's shirt.  
To his surprise, the blonde teen found himself gasping out at the sensation.  
Their eyes met.  
Sasuke's fingers repeated the gesture, pinching Naruto's nipple carefully in between his thumb and index finger.  
Naruto failed to hold back a second gasp.

"S-Sas...Wai-t!" He squirmed, but Sasuke pushed him hard back against the tiles.

This possessiveness was the same Sasuke had shown in the car that morning when he'd shown up so early. It was just as intoxicating now as that time, but it sort of scared him... He felt himself losing control, giving himself more over to Sasuke with each new kiss. He wanted to, but...

"W-wait..." he said again, pushing the raven away.  
Deep, dark eyes stared at him. Sasuke licked his lips.  
The silence that hung in the air was awkward.  
"Sorry..." Sasuke finally spoke quietly.

"What are you doing?!" Naruto demanded.  
"I..." Sasuke gave up on trying to explain to the blonde how this was the only way for him to relax.  
"What are you doing here?!" the blonde went on to ask.  
"I just..." Sasuke ran his hand flustered through dark tresses, "I wanted to see you..."

There it was again, that subtle hint of Sasuke being lost.  
It was the same thing he'd said on the morning Naruto had just been thinking about.

Cerulean eyes met with obsidian ones.  
"You wanted to see me? Right now? To do this?"  
Sasuke nodded.  
There was something in the way the Uchiha stared at him, something in the way he carried himself right now.  
Naruto didn't like it.  
But there was no time for him to engage in lengthy conversation with Sasuke. He needed to get to class.  
So he smiled cheekily, trying to cheer the other up; "Why, are you trying to seduce me, Uchiha?"  
He felt his heart pounding as soon as he'd allowed those words to leave his lips.  
Sasuke seemed to relax a bit.  
He smirked, pulling Naruto close enough to lean forward and nip lightly at the fox's bottom lip. "Maybe I am..." he mumbled huskily.  
Shocks of heat shot up Naruto's spine. His cheeks grew hot and flustered.  
He turned his head, looking away, unable to resume his act.  
This unknown territory they were closing in on... It excited him, almost as much as it scared him.

Naruto was at a loss of words, Sasuke noted.  
He smiled, tousling his fingers in locks of sunny blonde.  
"I'm sorry," he said again, "Do you find it embarrassing?"  
"No!" Naruto almost shrilled, shaking his head energetically, "It's just... I dunno...and...someone could come in and... But..."  
The blonde stared at the floor, "I guess..." he mumbled, biting his lip, "I...liked it..."  
"But?" Sasuke's breath caressed the shell of the rambling fox's ear.  
"But..." Naruto almost gasped at the sensation, finding himself unable to finish the sentence.

He wanted to stay here with Sasuke.  
Well...Maybe not here, but he wanted more of what they were doing. And just admitting that to himself had him flushing again.  
He wanted to stay, but...

"I've gotta go to class..." he said apologetically.  
Sasuke nodded.  
He didn't want the blonde to leave his side; the tremor washing over him right now was way too much for him to handle alone. He was _afraid_, he realized.  
That freaked him out even more.  
Being the proud Uchiha he was, there was nothing he wanted less than to talk about it, but he just... He wanted to be _close_ to Naruto right now.  
Like this.  
Just the two of them.  
This way he forgot.  
But...  
Naruto must've been reading his mind, because he said a bit hesitantly;  
"If you want me to, I'll skip this class..."

Even if his own life was spiraling downwards and into oblivion for about the tenth time in eighteen years, Sasuke didn't want to drag Naruto down with him.  
So he forced a semi-smile.  
"You stay dobe," he kissed him softly, enjoying the release of endorphins, chasing away the grim thoughts for a split seconds before he parted their lips. "I'll wait for you. The last thing you need is more trouble with Mizuki."  
"True..." Naruto had to agree. "Are you sure you're alright though?"  
"Isn't that what I should be asking you?" Sasuke inquired, touching his lips to Naruto's sensitive neck as he spoke, "You're _shivering_..."  
"That's..._your_ fault..." Naruto swallowed, noticing how his entire being seemed to grow hot, "B-bastard!"

A small part of Naruto wanted to cling onto Sasuke when the boy pulled away, but he collected himself, straightening his shirt, and left the bathroom with him.  
He peeked carefully around, to see if anyone had spotted them, but the hall was empty.  
Naruto was already late. He frowned.  
"You should go," Sasuke said, like that wasn't obvious.  
Stupid Sasuke!  
When Mizuki ripped Naruto's head of in five minutes, it would all be his fault.  
"Call me when you're out. I'll pick you up," was Sasuke's parting words.

The blonde had been hoping that their moment could've been prolonged, but Sasuke was already halfway down the hall.  
Muttering under his breath, Naruto made for the classroom.

Sasuke heard the string of reprimands directed at Naruto streaming down the hall behind him as the blonde slid open the classroom door.  
He didn't get how the blonde dobe could stand to be talked to this way.  
He'd never stand for it.  
Not now anyway.  
How would Naruto manage without him? He caught himself thinking, and frowned at his own stupidity; Naruto was capable of looking after himself. It was just that, now that they were together, Sasuke didn't want Naruto to. He wanted to protect him from all harm.  
Something which seemed like such an impossible task right now, when he couldn't even deal with his own problems.

He clenched his fists in anger, relaxing slightly at the sharp sensation of his nails digging into his palms, almost hard enough to draw blood.  
Self-loathing was a feeling the Uchiha was getting very familiar with.

Making his way down the stairs, he ran into Sai.  
The other raven opened his mouth to deliver one of his comments, but Sasuke bit him off by just glaring at him, causing the other to step back.  
It seemed he still remember the feeling of Sasuke's fist to his face.  
Sasuke 'hn'ed, continuing past him.  
Sai glared after him, but didn't dare to say anything.

When Naruto finally appeared two hours later, Sasuke was beyond relieved.  
He was supposed to wait for Naruto's call, and then come pick him up outside school, but with no destination or purpose he'd been left waiting in his car on the parking lot, without as much as starting it.  
Being left for such a long time with his own thoughts was becoming unbearable, as he had realized that Anko's announcement came at the worst time possible; the thing that had been gnawing in the back of his mind over these last few days was now surfacing: It was less than two weeks until the Obon Festival.  
He shuddered.  
'Festival', what was so festive about cleaning your family grave? He growled under his breath, sighing as Naruto got in the car.

"Damn!" was the first thing to fall from the blonde's lips, "It's so _hot _in here! Why don't you turn on the AC or something?!"  
Sasuke pushed everything to the back of his head, smirking at Naruto; "Isn't it obvious? So you'll take some clothes off of course."

Naruto stared at the Uchiha, dumbfounded.  
Sasuke said those words so casually. Like it was no big deal at all.

Showing off his insecurities, especially in front of others, and _especially_ in front of Sasuke, was not something Naruto liked to do, so he grinned cheekily back at the raven, saying innocently; "What, like this?"  
He slipped his thin cotton sweater over his head, making sure that the shirt he wore underneath caught, and slid up with it, showing off his stomach.  
On the inside he was so uncertain about this, as if this little gesture would send their relationship shooting forward, as he was certain Sasuke wanted it to.  
They were together.  
They were attracted to each other; it was only natural to want to do more, go further...

Though... Naruto wasn't sure he wanted that just yet.  
There were so many other things he wanted to focus on first.

Nevertheless, the look on Sasuke's face when that patch of tanned skin became visible was fairly amusing.  
The Uchiha stared and swallowed.  
Naruto's grin widened. Mischievously he cocked his eyebrow, as if challenging the Uchiha.  
Hesitantly, Sasuke reached out his hand, allowing it to brush against Naruto's stomach.

The same burning sensation from earlier flared up inside of Naruto, who found himself reddening at the thought of those slender, skilled fingers that only hours earlier had caressed him, just like this; how they had pinched around his nipple, and how he had _enjoyed_ it.

He'd wanted to tease Sasuke a little; maybe see if the dark haired teen would feel even slightly uncomfortable. It didn't seem likely at all.  
Sasuke was hesitating, sure, and he looked a little confused, true.. But there was something gleaming in his eyes, that both excited and terrified the blonde.  
Subconsciously he wished Sasuke would touch him like that again, yet he forced it to the back of his mind, without doing anything besides observing the raven.

Sasuke's hand moved upwards, painfully slowly.  
Not a word was spoken between them as the teen lead his hand upwards, stroking gently over tanned, tense abs.  
Naruto was nervous, even if the blonde didn't say it, Sasuke _felt _it. Just by looking at him he knew, touching him made it even clearer.  
Something else he noticed was that Naruto tensed up even more the higher his hand ventured, but in a different way, more inviting.  
The blonde drew in a sharp breath as Sasuke's thumb flicked over a hardening nipple.  
The raven smirked; in this heat there was no way Naruto could be freezing.  
He pondered if he should continue his assault, but decided against it, running his hand back down.  
All the time his gaze remained locked with Naruto's blue eyes.  
The fox's gaze quivered slightly, not able to hold his for more than a few seconds at a time.  
Sasuke's hand ventured lower, he bit his lip.  
Nervously, blue eyes shifted, following the pale hand caressing his body as it crept down to the waistband of Naruto's slacks.  
His breathing sped up and caught.  
But rather than continuing, Sasuke's hand quickly retracted; a couple of slim fingers swirling around the blonde's belly button, before the hand finally came to linger on Naruto's hip.

That was where Sasuke stopped himself.  
He doubted Naruto wanted to take things further, moreover, he wasn't sure _he_ wanted it himself, less of all here.It had completely blown his mind that he was mildly assaulting Naruto in the middle of the school parking lot.  
Before removing his hand however, he leaned over to place a quick, chaste kiss on Naruto's lips; "Maybe you're right..." he whispered, "I should turn on the AC."

Naruto laughed softly, thankful that the Uchiha had come to his senses and realized where they were.  
A rather awkward silence hung in the air when they sped down the road, moments later.  
Trying to subdue it, Naruto spoke what was on his mind;  
"I'm hungry. Aren't you?"

Sasuke cast a dark glance over at him.

"What?" Naruto asked him accusingly, "I'm _starving_."  
"Why is it..." Sasuke started, pale lips curving into one of his signature smirks, "That unless I keep those lips of yours busy, they keep whining about food?"

Naruto's face flushed for the gazillionth time that day. He tried to think of a quick line, but failed.  
Somehow he had a really hard time striking back at Sasuke sometimes.  
Maybe because whatever line he delivered, Sasuke would retort promptly and that would be the end of the conversation?  
Or maybe Sasuke just was really good at reading his mind.  
He muttered something like a 'hmpf' in lack of a better response, the noise was partially drowned out by the growl of his stomach.  
Sasuke looked over at him.  
Naruto shrugged.

"I guess they really don't feed you enough where you come fr-" Sasuke stopped himself.  
Naruto stared at him.  
"Sorry," Sasuke sighed, "That was uncalled for."  
Chewing on his lip, the other teen shook his head, before suddenly smiling. "Not at all," he said, "You've lived at that kind of place too... So you're allowed to make jokes like that. Gaara and I tell them all the time."  
"Gaara tells jokes?" Sasuke asked, as if that was of any importance.  
"Ok, so it's mostly me. But he does laugh at them." Naruto nodded energetically.  
"How do you do it?"  
"Huh?" Naruto looked over at the raven again; his expression was serious now.  
"I mean," Sasuke touched his foot lightly down on the break, letting the car slow down as the light changed into red, "How do you stay so careless?"  
"I..." Naruto started, but failed to find an answer, "I just do...I guess."

Silence reigned between them again.  
Naruto was uncertain whether to pick up the fragile subject again, and Sasuke made no effort to offer his opinion anyway, so he just brought up the topic of food once more;  
"I can see that you're hungry."  
"What?"  
Naruto rolled his eyes, "You are. There's a McDonalds right down the street."  
"Need I remind you that I hate junk food?"  
"You don't hate nori fries," Naruto established. It was a shot in the dark, but he reckoned Sasuke preferred those to actual fries. Nori didn't count as junk food. "And they happen to have the best nori fries ever. I'll even _pay_! And we don't need to sit inside the restaurant... There's this thing called the drive-thru and-"  
"Naruto," Sasuke interrupted him, rolling his eyes, "I know what a drive-thru is. Fine, we'll eat. Just stop nagging."  
Naruto smiled triumphantly at him, and went on to think out loud; arguing with himself over what he wanted.  
Sasuke shook his head at him.  
The blonde carried on, unaffectedly. Sasuke smiled slightly, feeling how he relaxed.  
Naruto was noisy, but he was the best distraction one could ask for, especially when it came to chasing off the incarnations of your dead family.  
And the fact that he was absolutely gorgeous didn't hurt either.

* * *

Gaara put down the hamper full of laundry as his phone buzzed in his pocket.  
He reached for it, flipping it open and growled audibly in his throat.  
The text from Naruto read; '_Eating with Sasuke-bastard, back later. .'  
_"Sure," he muttered, "Leave me to do all the chores again."  
He knew of course that the blonde would have to make up for it later, but still.  
And besides, Naruto was the kind of person who could easily talk his way out of any punishment. Gaara was convinced that if his friend ever ended up on death row, he'd be able reason with the executioner.  
Rolling his eyes, he dropped the load of dirty clothes into the washing machine, only to find that there was no detergent.  
Looking around he realized that it wasn't anywhere in the room. So they were out.  
Great.

"Baa-san!" he called up the stairs.  
"Did you say something dear?" the old woman's voice answered him.  
"We're out of laundry detergent!"  
"I know! I bought more this morning! I'll send someone down with it!"

The red headed teen leaned back onto one of the washing machines, waiting for one of the kids to come running with the detergent.  
Only, neither of them did.  
The person standing in the doorway shortly after was the same person he'd more or less been avoiding the past few days.  
There, reaching him the bottle of flower-scented detergent, was Neji.

Instantly Gaara lost his cool.  
He fumbled slightly as he reached for the bottle, mumbling something like a 'thank you'.  
Quietly he hoped that the Hyuuga would just go away.  
But of course he didn't.  
Why would he?  
It wasn't as if they had talked since that night in the kitchen.  
Or rather, they hadn't been _able_ to. Gaara hardly ever went outside, and as long as there were others in the house, it was no way they'd find a quiet place to talk.  
And it wasn't as if they could just start talking about what had happened in the middle of the living room or whatever.  
Not unless if they were intending to give grandma Chiyo a heart attack, something Gaara absolutely not wished upon her.

They stood there, staring at each other.  
Gaara moistened his lips, but found himself unable to say a single word.  
Quietly he turned around, pouring detergent into the little chamber in the machine, before turning it on.  
The whistling of water gushing through the pipes filled the otherwise quiet room.

He turned back around, dreading the uncomfortable silence, only to discover that Neji had stepped closer to him.  
So close in fact, that he nearly crashed into him when he turned.  
He parted his lips to speak, but not a single syllable came out.  
What did you say to someone you hadn't talked to since you started making out for no apparent reason without even really knowing each other?

Nothing that's what.

At least that's how the conclusion appeared in Gaara's mind as the Hyuuga grabbed his wrist, pulling him close enough for the brunette to smother Gaara's lips with his own.  
And it was just as simple as that, Gaara realized when his hands slid around Neji's neck and his lips parted so their tongues could meet; He didn't need a reason to do this with the elder teen.  
It didn't matter if Neji was a notorious virgin-killer as Naruto put it, or that they hardly knew each other.  
It didn't matter to him if Neji was three years older and merely saw him as another conquest.  
These things were trivial because the feeling it gave him overshadowed everything else.  
As someone who wasn't used to, or comfortable with being this close to another person, he was mostly wondering why it was that he accepted Neji so easily.  
Then there was the personal challenge; to see how much of this he could allow himself to experience before that barrier within him would rise itself again and make him shun all contact.

Yet, he doubted that it would happen.  
Neji's grip on his wrist was firm, and his lips which now had moved to his neck and were assaulting the pale skin there had him squirming and moaning softly.  
He was attracted to the other male, he realized.  
Attraction was new to him.  
Desire even more so.  
And he craved for it.  
It didn't matter how inexperienced he was; because he wasn't uncertain, not as long as Neji led the way.

Neji did; with his lips, tongue and teeth.  
With his intense kisses and fierce little bites. With his hand that was now roaming underneath the young red's shirt, and with his entire being pressed so tightly to Gaara's own.

In between throaty gasps and moans, that were all but drowned out by the washing machine he was pressed up against, Gaara heard his own thoughts...  
They told him that he too wanted to touch. To feel the Hyuuga under his touch.  
Like he could establish who Neji _was_ just by touching him.  
He wished he could.

The red carefully, but not uncertainly, led his free hand towards the brunette's body.  
A hard bite to his jugular had him wincing, and shuddering.  
His hand met with the soft fabric of Neji's shirt. Instantly, Gaara grabbed it, slender fingers tugging gently.

The Hyuuga's nose nudged him gently, making Gaara turn his head slightly to look at him, only to have their lips meet in another of these desperate kisses that Neji had him addicted to.

The red's palm flattened against Neji's stomach, pressing against well-defined abs.  
He kissed Neji back, just as fervently as he thought he'd never act, and just the way he believed the Hyuuga wanted him to. Just the way _he_ wanted to.  
He caught himself thinking how hard those abs felt; muscles flexing under his touch with every move Neji made.  
Gaara's hand moved, stroking up and down, clutching gently at Neji's shirt with each noise that the red emitted.

Neji shifted, pressing Gaara harder back against the rumbling washing machine.  
His knee slipped in between the younger's legs.  
He looked at Gaara. But the boy's expression was so hard to read; there was pleasure, sure, but his eyes were closed tightly shut.  
Neji nudged Gaara's legs farther apart, allowing his knee to brush against his groin.  
Much to his satisfaction, the red uttered a half-choked 'Nnh!"  
Smirking into the kiss, Neji pressed his knee a little harder against Gaara's crotch.  
"Ah!" the boy let go of his lips, and just stared at him, green eyes wide.  
"Hmm?" the Hyuuga tilted his head quizzically, kissing the corner of Gaara's lip gently.  
Gaara's lip quirked.  
He smiled, pressing against Neji.  
Their lips crashed once more, tongues meeting, rubbing against one another in a never ending dance.  
The intense kisses broke for only seconds at the time, allowing the pair to breathe.  
And in the middle of this intensity, curiosity and instinct took a hold of the red haired teen.  
His hand ventured downwards.  
Gaara's eyes were clenched shut, his pulse racing in his throat, and lips caught in-between Neji's as he allowed for it to brush over Neji's groin.  
He did it carefully, more hesitant than he'd been before.  
Swallowing, he peered his eyes open, glancing at the elder. Neji's pale eyes were staring straight into his.  
It sent jolts through him.

Slightly more uncertain now than before, he lifted his hand to relocate it, but again, Neji's hand was around his wrist.  
Still holding his gaze, Neji touched Gaara's hand to his own groin.  
The teen flushed slightly as he felt the other's hardness through the fabric of his pants. He swallowed, but refused to back down.  
Biting down on Neji's lower lip, accepting the brunette's tongue into his mouth, he gently pressed his hand against him.  
He winced, nearly gasping at the notion of Neji's apparent erection twitching against his hand.  
But the sound of the Hyuuga's breath growing slightly uneven; a soft groan forming in his throat, egged Gaara on; he allowed his skeletal fingers to follow the contours of the throbbing member through Neji's pants, rubbing it gently, then more determined in response to the approving moan he got out of the other.  
He was shaking.  
The excitement that had been awakened inside of Gaara had him shaking, his blood rushing through his veins.  
"Mmh..." he moaned into the kiss, as Neji once again took control.  
He rocked against Gaara's hand, his grip on the other growing so hard Gaara was unsure he even had a circulation in it anymore. Not that it mattered.

Curling his fingers slightly, he moved them upwards, still pressing against the elder's groin.  
Fingertips playfully ran along the rough fabric of Neji's khakis, and then against smooth, hot skin as he slipped his hand underneath the teen's shirt.  
His fingers moved downwards yet again; Gaara's heart leaping to his throat as he slid them along the waistband of Neji's boxers, and underne-

"Gaara-nii! Neji!"  
They whirled around so quickly a hamper of balled up, clean socks went flying and crashed to the floor, socks rolling out everywhere.  
The rumbling of kids' feet in the stairs grew louder, until a group of four children stood before them.  
"Chiyo-baa wanted to know what's taking you so long!"  
"Yeah! And if you knew where Naruto-nii is!"  
"Uh-huh!"

Gaara tried to think of a reason as to why it had taken them so long, but was preoccupied with throwing Neji a towel, indicating for him to fold it - in reality trying to help him hide the still visible bulge in his pants.  
He was dizzy.  
Neji seemed to always have this effect on him.

"We'll be right up..." he finally managed to speak  
"Yeah, just let us clean up this mess we made." Neji joined in.  
There was an echo of "Okay!"s, and the flock of kids ran back upstairs.

"Christ..." Neji mumbled, crouching down to pick up a pair of balled-up socks at his feet.  
Gaara just shook his head.

A hand on his shoulder made him turn around to face the Hyuuga again.  
Pale eyes surveyed him carefully, before Neji leaned in, whispering into his ear; "It's impossible to do this here..."  
Gaara swallowed, remembering how Neji had whispered to him the last time; 'I want you', had been his words then.  
And now he realized, the feeling was mutual.  
He wanted Neji.  
Just the slight warm tickle of the Hyuuga's breath on his ear made him feel hot, a strange prickling spreading in his body.  
For a moment he wondered if he was having a heart attack.  
Still, he managed to press forth a "Yeah..." nodding weakly.

Gaara wasn't sure what the elder teen meant by that, if it was an indication for this madness to stop - which was the last thing he wanted, or if it meant that Neji wanted to find some sort of solution to this problem.  
"Next time," Neji's voice was husky in Gaara's ear, "We go somewhere else, 'kay?"  
Apparently the latter.  
Gaara found himself nodding. He clutched the hamper full of socks, amazed at how excited he felt again all of a sudden.  
Lips pressed against his ear, and then Neji was already halfway up the stairs.

The red was left alone, once again trying to comprehend what had happened just now.  
He knew one thing though; this feeling inside of him... He'd be able to live off of it for a long time.

* * *

"Aren't you glad you reconsidered?" Naruto asked, snatching one of Sasuke's nori-fries.  
They were sitting in the park, at the very bridge where Sasuke had screamed that they weren't friends. That seemed like such a long time since now.  
Sasuke shrugged, swiping Naruto's soda in return.

Naruto smiled. This felt nice.  
It would have been nicer if it wasn't for the heat though. It was so humid he could feel his hair curling in his neck.  
There wasn't a complaint in his mouth though.  
What was there to complain about?  
It was sunny.  
He had no more classes until next week, and he was with Sasuke.

Stealing glances at the raven, Naruto wondered if the other knew how he made him feel.  
Most likely he did, or he wouldn't act the way he did; with his teasing comments, soft kisses and following acts of semi-molestation.  
Unnerving, yes.  
Heavenly? Absolutely.  
Of course Sasuke knew, Naruto reasoned, he was practically radiating love where he sat next to the Uchiha.

"Naruto," Sasuke started, snapping the blonde out of his daze.  
"Yeah?"  
"I..." the Uchiha prodigy looked down for a bit, observing the ripples in the water underneath them, "I might be going away for a bit..."  
"Huh?" Naruto wasn't following.  
"I mean, I might be gone for a while..."  
"What? You mean like on vacation?" Naruto's heart instinctively began beating faster in his chest.

Sasuke looked away again.  
A breeze, that would've been so appreciated at any other time, ruffled his spiky hair, he hardly noticed it.  
"Something like that..." he said, offering the same answer he had when Naruto had asked him about the meds.  
He'd chickened out.  
Just as he'd suspected he would.  
For days, since his last appointment with Anko - who was being a royal pain in the ass, calling every day lately, Sasuke had been wondering how to break the news to Naruto.  
Only to end up lying to him, because telling him the truth was indeed a difficult thing to do.

"Where? Is Kakashi-sensei taking you?"  
"It's..." Sasuke paused, forcing his mind to cooperate, spinning a story that could pass as believable; "With my old school... It's this...thing. I can't really avoid it it seems..."  
"Oh..." the Uzumaki chewed on his nail, "But you'll be back right?"  
Well known fear lurked in the back of his mind.  
Sasuke turned to him, smiling, "Of course dobe,"  
Naruto's face lit up again; sunshine dancing in his smile.  
"I'll be away a couple of weeks at most," he said, although that was no guarantee at all.

'You shouldn't lie, little brother.'  
Sasuke nearly choked on a gulp of soda.  
He coughed hard several times, wheezing as he did.  
Naruto scrambled to his feet, "Sasuke! Are you okay?!"  
The blonde didn't wait for Sasuke's answer, which was nothing more than a half-hearted nod anyway, but begun pounding lightly at Sasuke's back with his hand.  
Once the Uchiha stopped coughing, and collected himself, Naruto pulled away.  
"Jeez," he shook his head, "Didn't anyone ever teach you that food and drinks go in the esophagus, not in the wind pipe? Learn how to swallow!"  
Sasuke jerked his head up at this statement, beginning to cough again.  
If Naruto only knew the scenarios flashing before his inner eye at this moment...

A moment that passed far too quickly.

The tingling sense in the back of Sasuke's head told him that there was another presence on the bridge, which of course was ridiculous, as they were the only two people in this part of the park. But he recognized Itachi's presence. Just like it was in the house; looming, watchful, and impossible read.  
'Sasuke,' the voice of his brother spoke.

Sasuke sprung to his feet.  
"Sasuke?"  
"Let's go!"  
"But you're not done eating..?"  
"I'm full, come on."

What had gotten into Sasuke? Naruto wondered as he was being dragged by the wrist through the park. His attempts at fretting it out of the raven as he went along failed miserably; the answers Sasuke gave were impossible to understand.  
It would take time, the fox realized, before he'd speak fluent Uchiha.

* * *

Opening his door, Kakashi stared in awe at the two teens standing on the doormat.  
"Sasuke? Naruto?" he said, seemingly confused.  
"I just remembered..." Sasuke huffed - they must've ran up the stairs, the teacher reasoned, "That I was going to help you today!"  
"You we-" Kakashi stopped himself, staring at the dark-haired teen.  
Sasuke looked up at him, with eyes that were so pleading and desperate it was excruciating to watch.  
"Right!" he exclaimed, eyeing the Uchiha worriedly.  
He knew what it meant when Sasuke acted this way. Anko had called him earlier in the week, much to Sasuke's dismay.  
"It's a good thing that you brought Naruto along!" the teacher led the way into the living room, "You see, my office is still _really_ crowded. So you'd be a couple of saints if you'd just clear out some things for me, and go through the books in the shelves."

Naruto's eyes darted between Sasuke and Kakashi.  
Something was fishy, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Kakashi was always strange, but this behavior was just bizarre.  
Then again, moving was a very stressful process, especially when you were moving in with another man and tried to convince everyone that it was purely platonic and out of convenience.  
Naruto decided he'd settle with that answer for now, and then try to drag the truth out of Sasuke later, when he wasn't so high-strung.  
The blonde snorted to himself, like that would ever happen! Sasuke was _always_ mildly neurotic.  
Or so it seemed.

He had a good reason for it obviously, but it was worrisome.

"Naruto," Kakashi said, "Could you please get started? I need to see Sasuke in the kitchen for a moment."  
Naruto nodded.  
He watched the man push Sasuke into the other room, and pondered about sneaking after them, to eavesdrop, but decided against it.

* * *

"Okay," Kakashi handed Sasuke a large glass of water, crossing his arms over his chest, "Let's hear it."

Sasuke drank the water in large gulps, but seemed unwilling to share what was on his heart.

'Don't say a word, Sasuke.'  
For the second time in about forty minutes, Sasuke choked.  
He coughed so hard it caused him to drop the glass.  
When it hit the tiles it broke into a million little pieces, a loud shatter filling the apartment.  
"S-Sorry!" he sputtered, trying to regain his breath.  
"It's alright," the silver haired man grabbed a towel, beginning to dab up the water from his kitchen floor, "Will you tell me what is bothering you now?"  
There was defiance in Sasuke's eyes.  
The raven crouched down, beginning to pick up the pieces of broken glass.

"Very well," Kakashi went on, "I've talked to Anko, so there's no need for you to keep secrets from me Sasuke."  
"Hn," Sasuke snorted stubbornly.  
"Why do you come here if you don't want any help?" the teacher probed, the exact way he'd been instructed by the therapist.  
The teen couldn't find an answer to that question.  
"It's Itachi isn't it?"

Apprehensively Sasuke looked up.  
His gaze shifted nervously.  
_"Damn it!"_ he cursed himself, his poker face was pretty much non-existent, he was aware of that.

"You're seeing him aren't you?"  
To anyone else it would've sounded like Sasuke was meeting up with his brother frequently.  
But that was not the case.  
Kakashi was asking him if he hallucinated; seeing his brother in places he shouldn't be. Because surely Itachi was dead, wasn't he?  
That's what the police claimed.  
Sasuke didn't believe that for a second.  
Still, Itachi wasn't here. And he still saw him.  
That would make him crazy.  
He wasn't crazy!

The thoughts shot through him in less than a nanosecond.  
He winced, cutting his finger on a piece of sharp glass.  
"Ow!"

He was thankful for the pain.  
It brought him back to reality.

Kakashi stood, rummaged through a drawer, and offered him a band-aid.  
"I won't tell Naruto," he said, his voice softening.  
Sasuke knew that the look he gave the teacher was thankful. It sickened him.  
He didn't need anyone's help.  
None but Naruto's.  
And the blonde helped him more than anyone without even knowing anything.  
He was certain of it.

The teen stood, making for the kitchen door.  
"I think it's best you stay here for a few days," Kakashi called after him.  
"Whatever."

* * *

"What happened in there?" Naruto asked, as soon as Sasuke joined him in the office.  
"I dropped a glass," Sasuke offered, "No big deal."  
"You cut yourself." Naruto stated.  
Sasuke turned abruptly to him, "How'd you-"  
"That," Naruto said, pointing at the band-aid on Sasuke's finger.  
"Oh... Right," Sasuke's shoulders sank.  
He was losing it.

* * *

With the Obon Festival approaching, there was a certain gloominess hanging over the orphanage. Many of the kids there had lost their parents, whilst others had just been abandoned.  
Naruto liked to think that the ones without dead parents were the lucky ones, at least that's what he'd thought when he was younger.  
Now he wasn't so sure; after all, wasn't it better to have a grave to go to, somewhere to pray, rather than not knowing anything?  
But those without parents, or graves to go to, they didn't have to suffer that pain.  
No.  
He was a bit of both, and though it had taken most of his life, he was starting to realize that it was equally painful: Once a year he had to clean and primp the grave of a man who'd caused him so much suffering, and who was to blame for everything that was wrong with his life.

And on the other side, his mother had bailed.  
He loved her, he was sure of that. But he hated her all the same.  
Why she up and left was easy enough to understand, but why didn't she take him with her?

That question always came up at this time of year.  
He wondered harder the older he got.  
Yet, this year he was almost grateful, to the both of them; he'd never met Sasuke if it wasn't for their selfish and inhuman acts.

Then he thought about Gaara.  
Gaara who was even worse off than himself, but without a grave to go to, or clean.  
The most he and his siblings would do around Obon season, was to light candles for their deceased family members.  
They'd been sent here from the neighboring town of Suna, since the orphanage there was full.  
And the journey to the other town was too long to make for only three days, especially if they had to bring Gaara along.

At this time of year, Gaara was more enclosed than usual.  
At least when it came to himself.  
If he saw Naruto looking down sometime during August, he'd offer supportive words, and advice. The two of them existed to keep each other floating, at least that's what Naruto usually told him. Then again, Gaara didn't know that the same case had been that of Sasuke and Naruto as well.  
The blonde doubted he'd ever let Gaara in on that little detail. He feared what kind of associations that could cause the red to make. Least of all did he want to hurt him.

This year however, Gaara'd been quiet since the end of July.  
He seemed to brood alot. Stuck to himself, and slept even less than usual.  
To anyone else this would seem like typical Gaara-behavior.  
But to the trained eye, to Naruto, it was like sharing a room with a complete stranger.  
Though Gaara was barely two years younger than him, Naruto had tried to reason it with his age; he remembered what it had been like to be sixteen years old around Obon season... But then, he felt pretty much the same way now.  
So it was unlikely that Gaara was depressed over what had happened in the past.

That left...How many options?  
One.  
Naruto became more certain the more he thought of it; it had to be because he was around Sasuke all the time.  
Normally he'd spend pretty much all of his time with Gaara.  
Maybe the red felt replaced?  
He was pretty sensitive after all, even though he hated showing it.

The only piece that didn't fit the puzzle, was that Gaara seemed to be balanced during the day.  
Normally an upset Gaara would be a moody Gaara, and that caused a general uneasiness to fall over the orphanage.  
That uneasiness was nowhere to be seen now.

The blonde felt himself to be at a loss.  
When asking his friends about it, there wasn't much advice to be given.  
Though, Kiba offered his thoughts: "You should try to fix him up with someone! Some sweet, nice girl that can get his mind off of things!"  
Shikamaru had pointed out that it might be hard to find someone who was willing to keep Gaara company, especially amongst girls.  
Naruto ignored them both however.  
His thoughts were elsewhere.

He was thinking about the dream he'd had last night, and how absurdly real it had seemed:  
He'd been a child again; watching from his safe spot in the staircase, as his father sat in front of the TV, gulping down bottle after bottle.  
For a long time he just sat, seemingly calm, but with the anxiety rising within him for each bottle his dad downed.  
He knew what was coming.

In a way he saw himself from the outside as well, wanting to rush in and help the child - who was him.  
It was confusing.  
Tremor grabbed a hold of him as he saw his father standing, staggering towards him.  
"Oi! Brat! What are you doing? Come here! I want to talk to you!" he slurred.  
Naruto's fists clenched harder around the railing of the stairs.  
He was shivering.  
"Hey! I'm talking to you!" the man thundered.  
He tripped as he tried to make his way up the stairs.  
Naruto saw it as a chance to escape; turning to run back upstairs, to hide.  
Still, the man was fast, grabbing the boy's ankle, pulling him back.

The child staggered, lost his balance and fell; tumbling down the stairs.  
His head hit the bottom step.  
A sharp pain shot through him, and he found himself unable to get up.  
Something wet trickled down his temple.  
"Now look what you did!" his father yelled, kicking him in the ribs. "You're getting blood all over the floor!"  
Naruto groaned, trying to move away from the leg coming down on him over and over.  
"You're cleaning that up! You hear?"  
He tried to form the words 'can't move..' but his voice cracked and faded.  
"You're worthless!"  
The towering man grabbed him by the neck, forcing him to stand, cursing at him when Naruto slumped back to the ground.  
"Just like your whore of a mother!"  
The fist struck him with so much force that even in his dream, Naruto felt it hit. He felt the surging pain.  
Everything went black, and that was when he awoke, drenched in sweat, gasping for breath.  
Someone had been shaking him.

Gaara was sitting on the side of his bed, looking at him with worried, light eyes.  
"Gaara..." Naruto breathed.  
"Are you okay?"  
Naruto nodded, swallowing.  
"Did I wake you?"  
"I couldn't sleep anyway," his friend said softly, "And especially not with you screaming..."  
"I was...screaming?"  
Gaara nodded, "Yeah. Right before you woke up."  
"I...dreamt..."  
"You don't have to tell me," the red offered.  
Naruto smiled slightly at him.  
"I always have nightmares at this time of year..."

"I know," the red nodded.  
He had them too, once he actually fell asleep. It was not however in his intentions to tell Naruto. He didn't want the blonde to worry about him.  
God knew he did that enough already.  
A sting of guilt went through the redhead at the thought of Neji, and how he went against Naruto's advice. Still, it was none of the blonde's business.  
He turned to his friend again, shutting out the guilt and any thought about Neji.  
What the two of them did was something that didn't need to concern anyone else.

"You should go back to bed," Naruto mumbled softly. His eyelids were already getting heavy again, though the part of him that had acted as the child in his dream was afraid of falling asleep.  
"Will you be able to sleep?" Gaara asked him, "Do you need anything?"  
Naruto shook his head, "No. Thanks for waking me."  
Gaara gave him a quick smile, standing, finding his way over to his own bed. He returned with something soft, pressing it into the corner of Naruto's arm.

Peering at the item through the darkness, Naruto realized that it was the teddy bear Gaara'd kept forever. Naruto didn't know who'd given it to him, but Gaara'd always kept it next to his pillow. Without admitting it, he was far too sentimental to get rid of it, even though it no longer kept his nightmares at bay. Or maybe it did?  
Why else would he be giving it to him now?

"He'll keep you safe," Gaara said, recalling to have said those same words years ago when they were younger and Naruto'd been having a bad dream.  
The blonde chuckled quietly, pressing the stuffed animal against his chest.  
"Thanks."  
Gaara gave a nod, brushed his hand over Naruto's before crawling back into his own bed.

He snapped back into reality when his phone buzzed in his pocket.  
He hoped it was from Sasuke; he hadn't seen the Uchiha in two days, and it made him feel uneasy.  
The message turned out to be from Iruka, inviting him for dinner. The blonde teen texted him back rapidly, saying he'd be over later.  
Engaging in conversation with his friends again, he forced himself not to think of the dream.  
Even though Gaara's gesture and mere presence had calmed him, it was still gnawing at him.  
He dreaded the season that was so rapidly approaching.

Laughing with the others at one of Kiba's jokes, he flipped open his phone again, texting Sasuke; _'Hey, you okay? I miss you...'  
_He felt nervous when he pushed the 'send' button, but as the little envelope fluttered across the display there was nothing more to do with it. The message was sent.  
Mere seconds later, the answer came; _'I'm fine. Slaving away for Kakashi. Call you later.'  
_Naruto smiled to himself, a little disheartened though.  
With the way he was feeling lately, he doubted Sasuke felt much better. Neither of them had a family, and Naruto didn't think for a second that Sasuke was looking forward to cleaning the grave of his entire family.

"But you should seriously consider it!" Kiba slapped Naruto's shoulder.  
"Consider what?" Naruto stuffed the phone back in his pocket.  
Kiba rolled his eyes, "Setting up Red!"  
"I don't know..." Naruto was skeptical to the idea. "You know he's not the social kind."  
"Oh I know that alright," Kiba said, remembering his first meeting with Gaara with dread, "Though, what kind of girl he'd like, and that would like _him_ is a mystery to me!"  
Naruto glared at his friend.  
"No offense, but he is a bit...weird..."

Naruto knew that he couldn't argue on that with someone who didn't know Gaara.

And he knew that it probably was a bad idea to try to find someone to set his best friend up with, but it was just something in the way Gaara had been acting lately that made him want to try it. That, and the guilt he felt for spending all of his time with Sasuke, rather than with Gaara.  
And then finally, he realized that he not-so-subconsciously wanted to keep the red haired teen away from Neji.  
For his own good.

So yeah, he concluded, maybe a relationship, or at least acquaintanceship with someone gentle and nice would be good for him?

"It might be an idea..." he finally said, "But I don't want to push him into anything..."  
"Who said you needed to do that?" Shikamaru remarked, "Can't you just invite him along like last time, and then _coincidentally_ place him next to her?"  
"I like your thinking!" Kiba grinned.  
"It could work," Chouji agreed.  
"I'll think about it. I need to see how he's doing first..." the last thing Naruto wanted to do was to upset Gaara.  
He stood, leaving some cash on the table. "Here," he said, "That's enough to cover my part of the bill, right?"  
Shikamaru nodded lazily.  
"Where are you going?" Chouji asked.  
"Iruka-sensei's house." Naruto grabbed his book bag, disappearing out the coffee shop door.  
"We'll search out some girls!" Kiba called after him.  
Naruto shook his head, laughing softly.

* * *

The rest of the week passed without Naruto and Sasuke getting much time to see each other.  
Mizuki made sure to keep Naruto busy with more homework in addition to what he already had to do over summer.  
And it seemed Kakashi was keeping Sasuke busy as well. At least he'd been staying there ever since the two of them had dropped by the teacher's house.  
Something was definitely not right about the whole thing, but if Naruto tried asking when they talked on the phone, (which was the only contact they'd had lately, and Naruto would always be the one who called, _always_,) Sasuke would always deny that anything bothered him.  
And he seemed perfectly fine now.

They'd finally found the time to meet, Naruto being the one insisting they did something.  
Their options were limited considering how the sun had been chased away by threatening black clouds and sudden pouring rain.  
"Let's rent a movie!" the blonde yelled, chasing after Sasuke towards the car.  
They'd been caught in the rain after meeting in the park, and were already soaked.  
"Movie?" Sasuke turned his head, looking at Naruto whilst still running in front of him.  
"Yeah! It's a perfectly normal thing to do on a rainy day, so don't look at me like that Sasuke-teme!" his tone of voice was playful.  
Truthfully he was really excited about being with the Uchiha again.  
"Don't tell me you've never watched a movie!"  
"Haha," Sasuke said sarcastically, unlocking the car door. "Very funny."

Naruto got in the car.  
"Fine," Sasuke said, "We can rent a movie."  
Naruto grinned at him, then he said thoughtfully: "We can't watch it at my house though..."  
Sasuke knew what the blonde was hinting at; he wanted to go to _his_ house.  
The very house Sasuke wanted to avoid at all cost.

Naruto's gaze shifted nervously.  
"Or... We could go to Iruka's house? I have a room there...With a TV..."  
When he thought about it, Naruto would be more comfortable being there, rather than at Sasuke's house.  
At Sasuke's house, they would be alone.  
Just the two of them. It made him feel excited, as well as uneasy.  
Mostly the latter.  
He tried not to show it though.  
Apparently it worked.  
"No, it's okay," Sasuke said calmly, "We can go to my house."  
Naruto's heart skipped a beat.  
"You want food?" Sasuke asked him, totally unaffected by Naruto's nervousness.  
That was odd, the blonde thought, he was certain it was radiating from him by now.  
"Sure," Naruto nodded.  
"I should have known." Sasuke didn't understand why he bothered asking. By now he should have realized that the blonde was always hungry.  
"You can decide what to eat!" the blonde announced generously.  
Sasuke sighed, shaking his head. "I want Chinese."  
"I'm surprised you didn't say-"  
"Naruto," Sasuke bit him off, "The tomato joke is getting old. Drop it."  
Sticking his tongue in-between his teeth, Naruto grinned at the raven-haired teen.

Seeing Naruto grinning like that, with his tongue poking out between sharp teeth and pink lips made Sasuke want to lean in and nip at it.  
He inwardly cursed having to keep his eyes on the road.

Pulling up to the video store, he handed Naruto his wallet, taking out his phone.  
"You fix a movie, I'll order. What do you want?"  
"Fried noodles."  
"Of course," Sasuke mumbled, dialing the number to the restaurant, "Just another kind of ramen, eh?"  
Naruto stuck his tongue out again, and looked even cuter.  
This time, the raven failed to hold back, leaning forward, closing the distance between them in the car by biting down softly on the tip of Naruto's tongue, pressing their lips lightly together.  
The kiss broke as someone answered the phone on the other end, asking for his order.  
Sasuke replied, and a flustered Naruto tumbled out of the car.

* * *

Puzzled, Naruto stood in front of the 'latest releases' shelf, wondering what to rent.  
He himself loved silly comedies. It didn't matter if there was no real plot, as long as it made him laugh. But what kind of movies did Sasuke like?  
Probably the exact opposite of what he preferred... Naruto frowned, scratching his blonde head. His other hand clutched around Sasuke's leather wallet.  
It wasn't that expensive to rent a movie... Maybe Sasuke'd be fine with it if he got one for each of them? That way he wouldn't have to feel bad for making Sasuke watch a movie he'd most likely consider to be crap.  
Nodding to himself, he figured that he could always pay the bastard back the next day.

So he ended up getting an old comedy he'd seen at least five times, and then some stupid intellectual drama he was sure he'd sleep his way through. But it was probably the kind of movie an Uchiha would watch.

* * *

Placing his bowl back on the nightstand, Sasuke stared at Naruto.  
"What I think?" he repeated, continuing to stare. "I think it's a _lousy_ idea!"  
"Really?"  
"Well of course! It came from Kiba, didn't it?" the Uchiha rolled his eyes. "Setting up the insomniac psycho with the shyest girl you know. You really think it'll end well?"  
Naruto's sharp glare made Sasuke regret the remark about Gaara being psycho.  
"Unstable..." he corrected himself, knowing that he had no right to label other people as neither psycho nor unstable. He himself seemed to be a fine mix of both.  
"I wasn't sure either..." Naruto admitted, "But Hinata is so sweet, and caring. She never judges anyone, and I think it would be good for Gaara to be around someone like that."  
Sasuke still looked highly doubtful.  
Naruto went on, trying to convince himself as well as Sasuke.  
"Neither of them has it in their character to move too quickly, so I think it'll go smoothly. It's not like I'm expecting love at first sight or anything."  
Sasuke shook his head. How was it that the blonde put so much effort into _other people's_ non-existent relationships?  
Here he was, going out of his league to push their own forward, and it seemed like Naruto hardly noticed.  
That, or the blonde was afraid of the next step.  
Sasuke knew that he couldn't be blamed for wanting to take that step.  
Naruto was the only thing stable in his life right now, and he was willing to cling to him, to dive forward, to keep that feeling of security it gave him. Just so it would last as long as possible.

"But you'll be there, won't you?" Naruto pleaded, "Tomorrow night? We don't have to stay for long... Gaara won't want that anyway. But, just to introduce them? And eat?"  
Sasuke's shoulders sank.  
You had to give to gain right?  
And besides, there was no way for him to resist that puppydog look that Naruto was so skilled at presenting whenever he really wanted something.  
Like he had always been.  
"Yeah," he sighed, standing up, "I'll go with you. But mark my words, it'll end in disaster."  
He said that mostly because he had the notion that the girl in question had a completely different male in sight than her blind date.  
And she could be as sweet, shy and innocent as she wanted, Sasuke thought, but he was _not_ letting her within five feet of _his_ Naruto.  
He'd seen the way she stole glances at him.  
Somehow he found it infuriating. Even more so because he was jealous.  
Uchiha's weren't jealous. They possessed no such traits.  
Yet, he seemed to be the black sheep of the family. And that made him want to keep any potential wannabe-love interest of Naruto's on several kilometers distance.  
So if this idiotic plan of Kiba's succeeded, he wouldn't have to worry about her anymore. Not that he did now, she just annoyed him.

"Where are you going?" Naruto asked lazily, rolling over on his side to look at Sasuke.  
"Bathroom," Sasuke replied.  
"But you have a private bathroom here!" Naruto said, pointing at the door on the opposite wall, as if Sasuke didn't know it existed.  
"And downstairs to get more ice. You want anything?"  
Naruto shook his head. "I'm good. And stuffed!"  
Sasuke rolled his eyes at this far too familiar statement.

Shutting the door behind himself he made his way down the stairs.  
He'd been stupid to think that the house would feel different now with Naruto in it. True, his room was a haven where he could relax, but the rest of the house was just as creepy as always.  
Every sound had him wincing.  
_"Fucking paranoia,"_ it didn't calm him one bit, blaming this on the so-called paranoia he suffered from_.  
_Biting his teeth together, Sasuke went into the kitchen, refusing to look to the left or right, staring straight ahead.  
He didn't want to know what hallucinations were waiting for him, watching him in the corners.  
God damn Anko and her brilliant idea to keep him on these meds!  
He jerked open the fridge, reaching for the door to the freezer, taking out a tray of ice cubes.  
Stepping back he felt something against his back.  
Chills went down his spine.  
He knew without turning around; it wasn't real, but Itachi was standing there, right behind him.

Slowly, he turned, looking straight at his brother's shirt-clad chest.

"Why do you lie to him?" 'Itachi' asked.  
"You're not here." Sasuke said, as so many times before.  
If he ignored him, maybe he'd go away?

He tried to brush past him, but Itachi followed, his voice ringing in Sasuke's ears; "You know that it's a bad idea. What are you going to say if he wants to know where you're going? What'll you say if he wants to come visit you?"  
Sasuke swallowed, clenching the ice cube-tray.

"What'll he say when you tell him you're crazy? What'll he think of you then?"

Sasuke's breath caught in his throat.  
He knew that this incarnation of Itachi was only his imagination, and thus it could put his own fears into words.  
It didn't help knowing that.  
He wanted to run away.

"He'll think you're leaving him. And your lies..." Itachi shook his head, clicking his tongue in disapproval. "You're ruining everything."  
"Shut up!" Sasuke nearly screamed at the hallucination.  
The hallucination that dissolved at that very moment, leaving him trembling in the kitchen.

It took several minutes for him to calm himself down and return to the room, where Naruto had been pulled out of his drowsiness when he heard the raven yell.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, blue eyes wide.  
"It's nothing." Sasuke retorted, sitting back down next to him, pulling the blonde close enough for him to wrap his arms around him, resting his head against the comforting nape of Naruto's neck.  
Naruto allowed himself to fall back into Sasuke's lap, smiling as tousles of ebony fell down into his face when Sasuke leaned forward to kiss him.

Sasuke's thumb brushed over the whisker-like marks on the blonde's cheeks.  
Even back at that day when they first met, they had been there, but Naruto had never told him how he'd gottn them. Not that there had been many opportunities since they met again, but still... It provoked his curiosity.  
Again, the fox seemed to be reading his mind:  
Naruto sat up, looking at Sasuke, touching his own hand to the whiskered cheek.

"It was my father," he said quietly.  
Sasuke looked puzzled.  
"It was my dad," Naruto started over, "Who gave them to me..."  
Sasuke didn't ask, he didn't dare.  
But the blonde seemed to want to share this with him, and for that he was thankful.  
Ripping up in old memories was painful, but... It tied them closer together in a way.  
"When..." Naruto took a deep breath, "When I was younger...Before he killed himself. Before I came to that place you know? He used to lock me up..."

Sasuke searched Naruto's expression. Pain was written all over his cute face.  
The Uchiha wanted to tell him to stop, not to think about it. He couldn't stand seeing Naruto in pain, but at the same time he wanted to know. He wanted to know everything about Naruto. And again he wanted to protect him from everything, including his past. But something told him that nothing would've been able to keep Naruto from sharing his story tonight.  
Naruto _wanted _him to know this, he realized, so he listened.

"He'd lock me up in this room where he'd keep his...victims..." Naruto paused, swallowing several times.  
He smiled slightly at the appreciated feel of Sasuke's hand running through his hair, in a soothing, comforting fashion.  
"And if I tried to escape, he'd punish me."

Sasuke stared, focused on the sapphire eyes that were digging into his.  
Naruto touched his own cheek again.

"After a while he started cutting me whenever I tried. One cut for each attempt..." the smile was gone now.  
"Six times," Sasuke said so quietly, he wasn't sure he'd spoken at all.  
Naruto nodded, just as quietly.  
"That wasn't the worst thing he did to me," the boy mumbled, trying to smile again, "But these are the scars that remains."  
_"The ones one can see,"_ Sasuke added in his mind.

Naruto brushed the back of his hand over his eyes, before standing abruptly, heading for Sasuke's bathroom.  
"I'll be right back," he said, trying to sound normal.  
Sasuke just nodded, watching as the other closed the door behind himself.

Naruto stared into the mirror. He'd turned on the water, so Sasuke didn't hear him sniveling.  
Blinking back the tears that had suddenly welled up in his eyes, he regarded his own reflection.  
The tough boy who never allowed anything to touch his heart.  
And now he was almost crying, _crying_ in Sasuke's bathroom, over something that happened so long ago he could barely remember it...  
No, that was a lie.  
He remembered everything.  
The noises.  
The scents; stink of alcohol and blood.  
And the feelings; fear, hatred, pain from endless strikes, kicks and shallow cuts.  
And the stinging of the less shallow ones.  
He shuddered, forcing his mind to stop the thoughts.  
He wanted to be happy!

Naruto splashed cold water on his face, trying to make it appear normal again.  
He didn't want Sasuke to worry too much about him.  
It was bad enough that he was constantly worrying about the raven and-  
His train of thought stopped abruptly when his eyes fell on a yellow pill container, standing on the bathroom shelf.

__

'**Xanax  
**Uchiha Sasuke, 18 years old,  
2 pills before bedtime, otherwise as prescribed by doctor'

His blood froze.  
Sasuke was taking Xanax?  
He'd said the side-effects that time were from allergy pills!

Forgetting all about his own issues, he unlocked the door, stepping back into the bedroom.  
Sasuke turned to look at him, his face paling as he saw what Naruto had in his hand.  
"What's this?" Naruto heard himself asking.  
Sasuke just stared at him. His expression reminded Naruto of a fish on land.  
The imagery had been funny if he wasn't so upset.  
And the Uchiha still didn't answer him.  
"Why are you taking Xanax?" he demanded, "Gaara used to take these!"

Sasuke seemed to snap out of it.  
"Posttraumatic stress syndrome." he said, without enunciating further.  
Naruto came over to the bed, placing the pill bottle on the table, next to the cartons of Chinese food.  
It was Naruto's turn not to answer. The blonde just stared at him, until Sasuke said; "I'm being forced to take them because Anko seems to think I'll throw myself off a bridge or something if I don't."  
"A-Anko?" was all the fox managed to croak out.  
"My psychiatrist."  
Naruto's eyes widened even more.  
Suddenly at least a few of the pieces fit together; if Sasuke saw a shrink, that must be where he disappeared to when he didn't want to let anyone know where he was going!  
Sasuke's voice was hard when he spoke of the woman.  
"She claims she knows what's best for me... And so does everyone else, so I'm stuck taking these pills."  
Naruto plopped down on the bed next to Sasuke.  
This evening was taking an unexpected turn.

The blonde had no idea what to say. He was used to Gaara taking medicines for his trauma, and to calm down his violent temper, but this wasn't Gaara. This was Sasuke.  
And Sasuke was supposed to be perfect.  
Of course Naruto knew that there was no such thing. More than anyone else he knew that.

He searched the other boy's eyes, half expecting to see some kind of emotion floating around there. But there was none. Sasuke's expression was blank.  
Impossible to read as always.

"H-how...sick are you?" Naruto heard himself ask.  
Sasuke turned those expressionless eyes to him.  
"I'm not." he replied.  
His voice was harsh.  
"They never made you take anything? You've been through just as much as I have."  
Naruto shook his head. "Not that I can remember..."  
"Tch," Sasuke smiled bitterly.

Naruto could vaguely remember a kind woman who'd talk to him and ask him questions when he was a kid, right after Iruka'd gotten him transferred to the Orphanage. That woman had probably been a psychiatrist or something too. But he'd only seen her for a few times, before she'd disappeared out of his life.

"My father..." Naruto started, looking nervously at Sasuke.  
The other teen waited for him to continue.  
"He thought therapy was a waste of time..." Naruto had no idea why he remembered that still. He'd been so young, and he'd only overheard a conversation between his dad and someone else. But he remembered his dad saying those words. It'd been right after his mother left, at least he thought it had been then... That was when things had really started spiraling downwards.  
"So do I," Sasuke mumbled.  
"Yeah...But... I think that..." Naruto chewed his lip, "That maybe... if he'd gotten help. If he could talk to someone then maybe he wouldn't..."

Sharp pain shot through Sasuke's chest when he saw the look of torment present on the blonde's face.  
Why was he the one taking medicines, being supervised by doctors and teachers and everyone else, when Naruto was in so much pain?

His hand found Naruto's on the bed, gripping it, squeezing gently.  
The blonde's lip quirked slightly. He squeezed Sasuke's hand back.  
"He was a terrible person," Naruto looked down, his eyes following the wrinkles in Sasuke's bedspread, "But he was still my father, you know?"  
Sasuke nodded.  
"I mean, I hate him. I really do. For everything he did, but...He's my dad... I kinda...I wish someone could have done something. So things didn't have to turn out like this."  
Sasuke nodded again.  
Most likely, Naruto knew just as well as he did that some things couldn't change. That went for people too; sometimes it was just too late. But he didn't say anything.

Without letting go of Sasuke's hand, Naruto let himself fall back on the bed, turning on his side.  
Sasuke did the same.

They lay there, looking at each other, without saying a word.  
Sasuke wanted to know what was going through Naruto's head at this time, but didn't dare to ask. Neither did he want to go any deeper into why he took medicines and saw a therapist. Or that the said therapist was trying to have him committed. Naruto had a right to know, but not now.  
Sasuke couldn't bear adding more worries to his already large burden.

"Sasuke?" Naruto was the first to speak.  
"Hm?"  
Sasuke's thumb ran back and forth along Naruto's, brushing over his hand, still entangled with his own.  
"About Obon Festival..."  
"Yeah?" Sasuke shuddered just at the word.  
"Are you dreading it?"  
_"What do you think?"_ Sasuke thought.  
Naruto read his expression, saying with a soft sigh. "Yeah...Me too..."  
"You clean the grave by yourself?" Sasuke asked, regretting it instantly.  
Naruto nodded, "Iruka-sensei used to help me when I was younger, but the past years I've been doing it myself...At night."

He'd expected Sasuke to ask him why he only did it at night, but the question never came.  
"Want me to come with you?" he asked instead.  
Naruto's expression changed into one of surprise. Without thinking he nodded.  
He wanted to have Sasuke there. He didn't want to do it by himself anymore. He was so tired of being by himself.

"I've never cleaned our family grave..." Sasuke sighed, "Not while I was away. Anko made sure it was taken care of. It's my first time doing it this year."  
The tone in his voice was one of absolute disgust.  
Naruto understood why. This wasn't one grave Sasuke was talking of. It was the gravesite of his entire family.  
"I'll come with you too." he said softly.  
Sasuke retracted his hand. "You don't have to."  
"Sasuke," Naruto gripped his hand again, "I _want_ to."  
"Why?"  
The blonde moved slightly closer, enough for his lips to brush against Sasuke's when he spoke; "Because."  
Sasuke moistened his lips, tasting Naruto as he did.  
"It's okay to show your feelings once in a while."

Sasuke's eyes widened.  
At that moment he accepted all the feelings he'd been repressing into his heart, if only for a short while. And as he did, he snaked his arms around Naruto's waist, pulling him so close there wasn't an inch between them. He inhaled the scent of the blonde; it filled his nose and his lungs, relaxing his entire being.

His breath tickled Naruto's hair, the blonde closing his eyes, gripping a hold of Sasuke's shirt with his free hand.  
He understood that Sasuke needed this, and he didn't mind. Nothing else would happen.  
But he still felt nervous, his heart pounding hard in his chest.

Soft lips touched his neck, spurting goosebumps on the blonde's skin. And though he grew more flustered, Naruto himself started relaxing as well.  
Sasuke's arms around him made him feel safe.  
Sasuke's breath against his skin was rhythmic and soft, he focused on it, and found himself getting sleepy.

Nuzzling closer to Sasuke, the blonde decided that this was a breakthrough. Sasuke hadn't said much, but they were finally on their way to getting to know each other for real.  
And, he realized, they weren't alone. This year, neither of them would suffer alone.

In the next second, the fox had dozed off.  
Sasuke glanced at him through semi-closed eyes. The blonde looked so peaceful when he slept.  
He didn't want to wake him.  
Running pale fingers through sunny hair, Sasuke decided that he could watch Naruto sleep forever.  
He smiled slightly, touching his lips to Naruto's forehead.

* * *

Sasuke yawned, trying to stretch.  
Surprisingly, he found himself unable to. Something heavy was weighing down his chest.  
Peering his eyes open, the raven nearly gasped in shock at finding Naruto sleeping almost on top of him; One arm flung over his chest, head resting right underneath Sasuke's chin, spiky blonde hair sticking up, tickling his nose.  
What the..?  
He'd fallen asleep?

Apparently.

The TV screen in front of them showed the DVD menu looping over and over, soft music playing.  
He rubbed his eyes, and tried reaching for the phone in his pocket.  
Something that proved to be impossible, as it was in the pocket located between him and Naruto, and there wasn't an inch for his hand to slip in between to fish it back out.  
Annoyed, Sasuke glanced over at his alarm clock, knowing full-well that the damned thing was out of batteries and had been dead for several weeks.

Naruto had a cellphone though... Sasuke mused.  
He wondered if he could reach that one?  
Though... What if Naruto woke up and found Sasuke stuffing his hand down his pants? Given, it would only be into the boy's _pockets_, but he doubted a sleepy Naruto would know the difference.

His wits told him it was a bad idea, but Sasuke chose not to listen. He needed to know what time it was, however perverted Naruto might find him if he awoke.  
Naruto had a curfew.  
Sasuke had no idea what happened if he was late, but he'd hate for Naruto to get in trouble because of him.  
He nearly flinched as his hand brushed against Naruto's skin. The fox's shirt had been sliding up while he was sleeping, and left his stomach bare.  
"Just stay calm..." Sasuke told himself, moving his hand lower, trying to be as careful as possible, not to wake the blonde.  
His fingers inched closer to Naruto's pockets.  
Underneath his touch, he could feel the blonde's hip bone, pressing slightly against his hand.  
_"Oh God..."_ he swallowed.  
He'd go to Hell for this.

It didn't matter if they were a couple.  
Or that he was only reaching for Naruto's phone.  
He was inches away from the boy's groin.  
He knew from experience that as much as Naruto enjoyed to be touched, he wasn't ready for anything too drastic. It was written all over his face whenever Sasuke got too possesive.  
The boy would go rigid and flush in the most adorable way...  
Why was he thinking of that now of all times?!

He was an Uchiha.  
He was a screwed up teenager.  
He was cold, calculating and collected.  
But, as Sasuke was painfully aware of, he still had needs.  
He was a teenager, with hormones raging, no matter how much he denied it.

So wasn't it only natural for him to feel the tinge of excitement when his hand finally slipped into Naruto's pocket? Wasn't it natural for him to grow hot as all his blood rushed south?  
Yes, it was completely natural. Even for him.  
But the timing...The timing was fucking horrible!  
That's what went through his mind as he glared down at the growing bulge in his pants, and as his fingers gripped around Naruto's cellphone.  
_"Don't panic..."_ he told himself,_ "Just, get out the phone...And everything will be fine..."_

And as he tried to ignore the urge to forget about the phone altogether, and just _touch_ the blonde, whilst trying to slide his hand unnoticed out of the pocket, Naruto's eyelids began to flutter slightly.  
Sasuke's heart leapt into his throat so quickly it almost choked him.  
He froze. Hand still tucked inside the pockets of Naruto's orange sweat pants.  
Naruto chose that moment to wake up.

Sapphire eyes opened, looking curiously straight at Sasuke.  
The blonde looked confused. He yawned.  
Later, Sasuke would curse himself for not taking that opportunity to just get his hand the fuck out of Naruto's pocket. But as it was, he was frozen solid, starting into those eyes as if he was mesmerized.  
"Sasuke...?" Naruto asked sleepily, "What are you doing?"  
He glanced down, then back up at Sasuke, then down at Sasuke's hand in his pocket again.  
Shit, he noticed.  
_"Of course he noticed!"_

Sasuke's eyes widened, a slight blush rising to his cheeks.  
Fantastic. He was blushing.  
If his body kept this up, it'd look exactly like he was trying to rape the blonde.

"I..I was-" he started.  
"Pervert!" Naruto shrieked. He pulled away so quickly Sasuke nearly tumbled off the bed.  
Finally he retracted his hand, still clasped around Naruto's phone.  
"Relax moron!" Sasuke yelled back at him, terrified that he had wrecked everything. "I was just trying to get to your phone!"  
Naruto scrunched up his face in utter confusion, before exclaiming: "So you could check my messages?! Are you really that jealous?!"  
"No idiot," Sasuke was calming down now. He'd forgotten who he was dealing with. "To check the time!"  
"Why couldn't you use _your_ phone?"  
"You were sleeping on it!"  
"Oh..." Naruto grinned sheepishly. "So you weren't molesting me?"

He looked so utterly innocent and irresistible as he said that, Sasuke couldn't help himself.  
A gleam of mischief came to sight in his eyes.

"No..." he leaned closer, hovering over the blonde, "Did you _want_ me to?"  
Cerulean orbs widened and whiskered cheeks reddened. "N-No! Sasuke, I...What are you-"

Sasuke silenced the blonde with his lips, pressing him down into the mattress.  
Naruto's hand found his neck, pressing him down, deepening the kiss.  
Their tongues met.  
Sasuke moaned into Naruto's mouth, his hand running up underneath Naruto's shirt, which was actually Sasuke's; he'd let him wear it after they got caught in the rain.  
He was exploring well-known territory now, and knew exactly where to touch to bring Naruto pleasure; his hand roamed over tanned, flushed skin, fingers toying with a hardening nipple.  
"Nnh!" Naruto moaned softly, arching up to him.

And with that, Sasuke forgot that he'd promised to take things slow.  
He forgot that he was supposed to hold back until Naruto was ready.  
That soft moan, and their bodies brushing together in this way... It was too much for him.  
Again, he found himself hardening, his erection pressing against Naruto's abdomen.  
With the kiss growing fiercer, Sasuke rocked carefully against Naruto's body, emitting a quiet growl as he did. "Naruto..."  
"S-Sasuke..." Naruto purred against his lips, arching up to him again.  
Once more their bodies touched, drawing a soft hiss from Sasuke's lips.

Naruto's shirt was riding up even further.  
Sasuke took in the sight of beautiful sun-kissed skin, before leaning back in, kissing Naruto even deeper.  
He rocked towards him, wincing as Naruto met his movement, returning it by bucking his hips upwards. His hardness brushed against Naruto's crotch, and something equally hard, twitching against him.  
He swallowed, thinking that this was way too much...  
Naruto's hand moved higher, fisting in tousles of ebony, as Sasuke plunged his tongue into his mouth again, running it over Naruto's.

Naruto's breath was ragged against his lips.  
The air and everything around them was scented of the blonde, it even _tasted_ like him.  
Sasuke was losing control rapidly.  
If Naruto didn't stop him... But it didn't seem like the blonde wanted to.  
The way he writhed underneath him, bucking his hips upwards, moaning his name... It all showed that Naruto was just as eager as him.

Naruto had no idea what was happening.  
All he knew was that he'd been awoken by Sasuke shoving his hand down his pocket, and that he was now pinned underneath the raven, and enjoying it.  
At first it had been shocking to find his body reacting to Sasuke's touches this way. He'd been deadly embarrassed at first when he realized that what Sasuke was doing to him was making him hard. Only, he had discovered that Sasuke was just as hard, and that whenever they rocked against each other it created a kind of friction between their bodies and... _Oh God, _it felt so good!  
He didn't know if it was because they'd gotten closer tonight, or if it was him being caught up in the moment, but he didn't want Sasuke to stop.

Another kiss broke, Sasuke's lips making their way down his neck, teeth scraping, biting.  
He shivered, gasping out Sasuke's name.  
He didn't want it to stop.  
He wanted to feel this way forever.  
And he wanted Sasuke.  
He flinched when he realized it; he _wanted_ Sasuke.  
He was far from ready, but he wanted him nonetheless.

Another throaty moan escaped Sasuke's throat, as he engaged Naruto in a new kiss, tongues darting against each other fiercely.  
His hand moved from underneath Naruto's shirt, gaining a fair share of protests from the blonde, but then... It started tracing along Naruto's inner thigh instead.  
The blonde swallowed hard in anticipation, pressing even closer to Sasuke.  
The hand rose higher, fingers moving towards their goal with determination.

And then Naruto's phone rang.

The sharp sound cut through the air so suddenly it had the two teens leap apart in shock.  
Perplexed, they stared at each other, not quite able to comprehend what was happening.  
Finally, Naruto realized that it was his phone that was making the noise.  
As he flipped it open he threw a glance at the clock showing on the display; _'02.06'._

"Shit," he cursed, before clearing his throat; "Gaara?"  
_"Where the hell are you?!"  
_"Uh..."  
_"Baa-san is worried sick, you know that? She wants to talk to you by the way,"_ Naruto could hear the phone being passed on, and then a sharp voice coming through from the other end; _"Naruto?! Do you have any idea what time it is?!"  
_"S-Sorry...I fell asleep..."  
_"Where are you?"  
_"At Sasuke's house..."  
_"I was worried sick! I almost had a heart attack when Gaara said you weren't back yet!"  
_"Sorry..." Naruto looked down at the bedspread, shameful, "I'll come home right away."  
_"You had better."  
_"Baa-chan?" Naruto dared to ask, "You're not grounding me are you?"  
The woman's voice softened; _"There will be a punishment. But it's the first time this has happened, and I trust you. So if you hurry back nothing severe will happen."  
_"Thanks. I'll be right home."

Naruto hung up the phone and blushed ten shades of scarlet when he looked back at Sasuke.  
It finally occurred to him what they had been doing.  
But Sasuke didn't say anything about it. Instead he turned off the TV and DVD player.  
"I'll drive you home," he said.  
Naruto nodded, standing up, without saying anything else, he went into the bathroom, changing back into his own shirt. It wasn't quite dry yet, but it would do.  
Sasuke drove him home.  
They agreed to meet the next day unless Naruto was punished with a million chores.  
Finally, Sasuke kissed him goodbye; a quick chaste kiss that deepened with the meeting of tongues, but still couldn't be compared to the kisses they'd been sharing in Sasuke's room.  
"See you tomorrow," Sasuke said softly, pulling away.  
Naruto smiled at him. "Yeah," he said warmly.

* * *

Naruto did escape with only a reprimand and a warning not to stay out that late again.  
Although Chiyo couldn't stop expressing that how very disappointed she was in him, and Iruka had called him and been practically hysterical until he heard that Naruto had fallen asleep at Sasuke's house, the blonde was happy to be off the hook.

"What were you doing last night?" Gaara probed.  
"Hm?" Naruto looked back at him, continuing to rummage through his dresser, in search of pants that weren't full of holes. He had a nasty habit of tearing holes in his clothes, only to stuff them into the dresser rather than have them fixed.  
"What. Were. You. Doing?" Gaara repeated, straining each word.  
"We watched a booooring movie, and fell asleep." Naruto replied calmly.  
Gaara didn't reply, but he didn't look convinced either. He was about to open his mouth to speak again when Konohamaru's voice came from the staircase;  
"Naruto-nii! There's someone here to see you!"

The two teens exchanged glances.  
No one ever came to see Naruto. He always went out to meet with his friends.  
Pulling on a pair of pants that looked okay, he stormed down the stairs, Gaara following close behind him.

"Hey." Sasuke said, stuffing his hands in his pockets.  
Naruto nearly tripped over his own legs, and was left standing at the bottom of the stairs, gaping at the Uchiha.  
"H-hi!" he tried to pull himself together, "What are you doing here? I thought that..."  
"I didn't have anything better to do, so I thought I'd come and pick you up."  
"Oh...H-how nice..." Naruto said nervously.  
Gaara brushed past him, going to sit down on the couch.  
"Oh, right! Sasuke, you've met Gaara..." he laughed nervously, remembering the disastrous first meeting between his best friend and Sasuke.  
"I remember him, yeah." Sasuke ground out.  
Gaara scowled at him, saying nothing.

"I take it you'll be going with us too?" Sasuke asked, pretending to care.  
"Yeah." Gaara replied, "Apparently."  
"Gaara!" Naruto whined, "There you go again! I thought you were looking forward to this!"  
Gaara rolled his eyes, "Oh yeah, I'm real excited."  
Naruto shook his head.  
This was a bad idea, he'd known it from the start.  
He'd kill Kiba for this!

"Who's coming anyway?" Gaara asked.  
"Oh you know, Ino, Sakura, Shino, Kiba...those guys. You've met them all."  
"And a certain Hyuuga, right?" Sasuke added.  
Gaara winced at the name. _"Hyuuga?"_

Naruto glared at Sasuke.  
One thing was that Sasuke and Gaara couldn't stand each other, but he wouldn't tolerate that Sasuke let Gaara on to the idea that the whole reason they were going out as a group in the first place was to set him up with Hinata.  
Sasuke shrugged, eyeing Naruto apologetically.

"You know, it's not that long until we were supposed to meet...Let's just go now." Naruto said, deciding that it was better to just meet up with the others as soon as possible. Being stuck with Gaara and Sasuke was already turning out to be a nightmare.  
The two others agreed, if not a little reluctantly.

* * *

Gaara got out of the car as soon as they parked outside the Korean restaurant.  
Naruto gripped the opportunity to lean over, asking Sasuke; "Are you okay?"  
The raven seemed perfectly fine. But after what Naruto had learned yesterday, he felt better if he asked.  
Sasuke nodded, offering him a small smile. "I'm fine. Now let's just get this over with."  
Naruto sighed. "Yeah... It'll be a disaster, right?"  
"Most likely," Sasuke agreed, opening the car door getting out.

The rest of the group was already seated when Naruto, Sasuke and Gaara came into the restaurant.  
"Hey guys!" Naruto beamed.  
Gaara and Sasuke barely offered the group a nod.  
"Sasuke-kun!" Ino smiled, "Come sit over here!"  
"He's sitting next to me!" Sakura snarled at her  
Sasuke rolled his eyes.  
"Ah," Naruto said, "Move a bit closer you guys! Make room for us!"  
Kiba and Chouji scooted further up the bench in the booth.  
"Gaara, why don't you sit next to Hinata?"

Without saying anything in reply, Gaara sat down next to the girl, Naruto sitting next to him, and Sasuke sitting on the opposite end of the table, across from the blonde.

The redhaired teen glanced over to the dark-haired girl at his side.  
"Hi," she said shyly, looking down, but offering him her hand. "I'm Hyuuga Hinata."  
_"Wrong Hyyuga."_ a voice in Gaara's head stated.  
"Gaara, " He shook her hand briefly, "Are you related to Neji?"  
It fell from his lips without warning.  
She was about to answer when Naruto exclaimed; "Oh! I forgot to tell you!" he grinned sheepishly, "They're cousins!"  
"They're really different though," Kiba said, "I prefer Hinata."  
The girl flushed slightly.  
"She's nothing like that stuck up idiot Neji!"  
"H-He's not that bad..." Hinata started, but gave up. The brunette had already changed the topic, and was rambling away.

The waitress came, took their orders and disappeared again. Showing up minutes later with their orders.

"How do you know Neji?" Hinata asked, turning to Gaara again.  
The red sighed, he didn't care for talking to strangers.  
He shrugged, "He's doing his work-experience thing at the orphanage. So he's there a lot."  
"Right. I forgot." Hinata smiled.

Kiba nudged Naruto in the ribs. "Smooth!" he mouthed.  
At the other side of the table, Sasuke rolled his eyes again.  
Awkward was the more appropriate term.  
Especially when it was made so obvious; Sakura and Ino were fawning all over him as always, while the other boys only talked to each other, leaving Gaara and Hinata to converse amongst themselves.  
They seemed to get along, but he doubted there was any spark.  
The others seemed not to notice though.  
Kiba was thrilled over his match-making skills it seemed, and Naruto was agreeing.  
A stupid grin was plastered on the fox's face.  
Sasuke had to smile. The blonde was looking adorable again.

Did he have any idea how he made Sasuke feel just by smiling at him?  
Probably not.

The Uchiha continued to stare, until he started thinking about last night, which caused him to choke on his soda. His coughing had Sakura and Ino fawning even more over him.  
He sighed.  
The blonde looked at him from across the table, smiling sweetly, winking at him.  
Sasuke coughed harder.  
Uzumaki Naruto was torturing him.

About an hour later they asked for the check and got ready to leave.  
Gaara was relieved.  
Although Hinata was easy to talk to and didn't annoy him like most of the others did, Naruto's friends were a little too much for him.  
But he found that he liked the girl.  
She wasn't anything like the two others. And then there was the fact that she was related to Neji.  
He wasn't attracted to her in the slightest, but he liked her he decided.

The two of them were falling a bit behind the rest of the group. And it seemed that they didn't notice on purpose.  
Gaara rolled his eyes.  
"You know what?" he said, turning to the Hyuuga, "I think we're being set up."  
Hinata turned a little pink. "M-me too..." she mumbled, "B-but I-I..."  
"You like someone else," Gaara finished for her, "I know. I noticed."  
She blushed even harder.  
"I won't tell him." Gaara offered her a friendly smile.  
"You like s-someone too, right?" she dared to ask him.  
Gaara shrugged, trying to hide his surprise at the question.  
"Maybe...I'm not..." he sighed, "Yeah. I do."  
Hinata smiled at him.

They walked in silence, catching up to the rest of the gang.  
The stupid grins on Kiba, Chouji and Naruto's faces made it all so obvious what they were trying to do. But neither of them bothered with it.

"Ready to go?" Sasuke asked, impatient to get out of here, and away from the girls clinging to his arm.  
"Yeah," Naruto said, "You?" he turned to the red.  
Gaara nodded.  
"It was nice meeting you," Hinata smiled.  
"Yeah." Gaara replied, "You too."  
He glanced over at Naruto and the others. Again with the stupid grins.  
Uchiha seemed to have had enough of it as well as he smacked Naruto over the back of the head, asking him if he was ready.  
"You don't wanna be home late again, do you?"  
Naruto's expression changed. "No. Gaara! Let's go!"

The three of them got in the car.  
The rest of the group waving at them before turning in the other direction and heading down the road.

* * *

"Ok, Uzumaki," Gaara kicked off his shoes, "Spill it."  
"Huh?" the blonde scratched his head, pretending to be stupid.  
"Hyuuga Hinata." Gaara pushed him lightly against the wall, before walking in front of him up the stairs.  
"She's sweet, isn't she?" Naruto tried.  
"Yeah. And shy, and gentle and why are you setting me up with her?"

The Uzumaki rubbed his neck.  
"Was it that obvious?"  
"Pretty much yeah." Gaara closed the door to their room.  
"Well... It was Kiba's idea to begin with...But you liked her, didn't you?"  
"I guess." Gaara said truthfully.

He liked her, sure, but not like that. Naruto didn't have to know that yet though.  
This was the perfect opportunity for him to escape Naruto's never-ending whining about how Neji was dangerous.  
The blonde seemed happy enough with the result of his little cupid-game, and Gaara was not one to spoil his mood.

* * *

The remaining days before Obon Season passed quickly, too quickly.  
One morning it was there.  
Way too fast, and with all the feelings that came with it; dread, anger, sadness and uneasiness.  
The notion that it was time to visit and clean the graves of your ancestors. Time to honor them.  
Sasuke hated all these stupid old traditions.  
There was even a dance festival! Bon Odori.  
Why would anyone combine a holiday revolving around death with _dancing_?

Although he'd been dreading this day, August 13th, the first day of Obon, for weeks, he had hardly been thinking about anything else.  
Firstly Anko had been pressuring him about it, wondering what kind of thoughts he had, how he felt about it, if it made his hallucinations worse.  
Then there was Kakashi, who had been acting like a worried parent all month.  
And mostly there was Naruto.  
The two of them hadn't mentioned Obon festival at all since the night in his room. But ever since then it had been on his mind. Only he was seeing Naruto's side of it.  
He thought about what Naruto had said about his father.  
The man who had hurt him so badly, the man who was guilty for Naruto's dark past.  
And here they were celebrating a festival that was all about _honoring_ your ancestors.  
As far as he could see, there was nothing to celebrate, no one to honor.

But he said nothing, walking next to Naruto in the darkness.  
It was already past midnight, but faint music could still be heard from the park.  
'Welcome Bon Odori' was taking place, and pretty much the entire city was participating in the festivities.

"I always go to my fathers grave at night, during Bon Odori," Naruto began explaining without Sasuke even asking him anything.  
The raven listened, his eyes following a firefly buzzing around them.  
"I never allow myself to care about what they say, but I just hate this time of year..." Naruto looked up at the dark August sky, "If I go during the day, when everyone else is doing it, they're all reminded of what he did. They all remember who I am."  
Sasuke's heart ached again. He took Naruto's hand. It didn't matter that they were out in the open.  
They were alone after all.  
The blonde forced a smile. It was fake, Sasuke could tell.  
It didn't have that quality that Naruto's smiles normally had; the ability to light up all the darkness in the world. It was a sad smile, and it pained the Uchiha even more.  
"So you know, I don't want to bother them. So I do it out of their sight. As the kind soul I am." Naruto joked.  
Sasuke didn't answer.  
He grit his teeth in anger over the villagers who were all such ignorant idiots. Didn't they understand that it wasn't Naruto's fault?  
He couldn't help who he was. And more than anything, shouldn't they pity this boy?  
Though, just like himself, pity was the last thing Naruto wanted.

"Here we are," Naruto said, stopping in front of a rather anonymous grave.  
The tombstone was worn from heavy weather, and the name written on it was impossible to read. Sasuke managed to decipher 'Uzumaki', but the first name was illegible.  
There was no other inscription on the stone.  
"I only come here once a year." Naruto kneeled down in front of the grave. "Iruka-sensei takes care of everything the rest of the year...I really can't stand coming here."  
"I understand," Sasuke said. He waited, a few feet away, not wanting to intrude on Naruto's privacy as he said his prayers for his father's spirit. At least that was what he was supposed to be doing according to tradition, but Sasuke doubted that it was the case.

Naruto remained sitting on his knees with Sasuke watching him for a long time.  
He burned the incense, bowing his head again.  
After a while he reached out his hand, touching the stone. The air around him was hot and humid, but the rock felt cold against his palm.  
"It's me..." he said quietly.  
So quietly that not even Sasuke could hear it.  
"I'm just gonna do some cleaning...And I'll be out of your hair..." he tried to smile, but it faded.  
Balling up his fist at his side, he retracted his hand, continuing to stare at the ground.  
"Why?" he asked into thin air, "Why did you do those things?"  
The grave was silent.  
Not even a breeze blew to give him a sign.  
Exhaling shakily, the fox rose to his feet again.  
"You can come over now," he said to Sasuke.

The raven joined him, standing in silence before the grave.  
Wishing so badly that he could refrain from seeing Naruto like this, Sasuke wrapped his arm around the blonde's shoulder.  
Naruto let him.  
He stood like that for several minutes before breaking loose.  
"Let's just get it over with..." he sighed, "I just want to get it over with."  
Sasuke nodded. "I know."

It only took a little over an hour to make the grave look presentable.  
The festivities were still going on at the park, but neither of them felt like going.  
In the end, they just walked around aimlessly without saying much, until Naruto figured it was time to go home.

Sasuke watched from the car as Naruto unlocked his door, slipping inside.  
The lights were still on in his room, so Sasuke figured that Gaara was awake, waiting for Naruto.  
The red might be a tad strange, but he was a good friend. Sasuke had to admit that.  
Even if he didn't care much for him.

He was still shaky from seeing Naruto so quiet and withdrawn.  
It wasn't right.

He felt bad for wanting Naruto to come with him when it was time for him to clean his family grave. Things were heavy enough on Naruto's shoulders already.  
Normally, Sasuke reckoned, he should have done it already, but he was actively postponing it.  
He dreaded going there.  
Knowing that he'd have Naruto by his side had made it seem easier for a moment, until he'd seen him tonight. Now it only added guilt to his dread.

Sasuke decided right then and there that he would postpone it as long as he could.  
It had to be done before the end of Obon, so he only had tomorrow and the day after but...  
Using his appointment with Anko as an excuse, he decided to wait until the fifteenth before going to his family grave. It was only one day, but he wanted to spare Naruto just a little from the reminders.

* * *

Gaara had always felt like the world was mocking his family in August.  
He supposed he was lucky to have siblings that cared for him and worried about him, but he still didn't feel tied to them in any way, as much as it hurt him to say it.  
His therapist claimed that it was his fear of losing them that made him so unwilling to care.  
Gaara wasn't sure about that. He'd never had much interest in them back when their father was alive either. Or during the time with Yashamaru.  
Obon Festival was all about honoring your dead ancestors. But as Naruto claimed; why would you honor someone who brought you nothing but pain?  
Still, his friend was contradicting himself in every way, because as much as Naruto hated his father, he loved him. Gaara knew he did. He saw the blonde struggle with his conscience over it. It hurt.  
How come that hurt? How come having no feelings in particular for his brother and sister didn't?

The only feeling he had concerning family at the time was this sense that August mocked them.  
They had no one. Not family-wise anyway.  
The three of them had been on their own for years.  
They had to deal with it, learn to live with it and try to get over all the hurt.

Then Obon Festival came along, and with it all the talk about death.  
And ironically enough his sister Temari had her birthday on the fifteenth.  
It was a joke.  
One that had never been funny.

For the past few years, they'd get together at Kankurou and Temari's apartment, have cake and dinner, and light candles for their mother.  
For their father and Yashamaru too of course, but Gaara found himself so unable to forgive these people, he never bothered to include them in his thoughts.  
His white candles were lit for his mother. It cleaned his conscience a little.  
Though he knew it wasn't true, it was burned into him; the claim that it was his fault. That he killed her. Even though he knew that death by childbirth was no one's fault.

He hated these three days of the year.  
While he always felt like he was lucky when he looked at Naruto who had to deal with his father's grave, and now Sasuke too, having to take care of the graves of his entire family... It always backfired after these gatherings they would have.  
Temari had wanted him to stay the night, and to come with them to the 'Farewell Bon Odori' thing, but he'd declined.  
He didn't want to.  
The longer he stayed with them, the more it reminded him of everything miserable in his life, and in Naruto's as well, and he couldn't stand it.

Gaara preferred to be in a neutral place when feeling like this.  
But not getting out much, his and Naruto's room at the orphanage, or the laundry room was as close as he came.  
Or, he could just wander about in the city. The streets were almost empty now anyway, so there was nothing stressing him.

"Hey! Freak!"

Or so he'd thought...

Gaara turned to look at the person who'd called out for him.  
He hardly ever ventured outside, especially not alone, but everyone knew him.  
They knew him by his history, by his reputation and as Naruto's friend, in other words; the second half of the freak duo.  
His dark-rimmed eyes came to rest upon a group of boys, about his age.

"What are you doing out?"  
"Shouldn't you be restrained?"  
"Don't kill us, please!"  
They made their voices sound high-pitched and squeaky, screaming with laughter.

At most other times, Gaara wouldn't have reacted.  
He was learning to control his temper.  
And usually the only thing that would tip his scale was someone picking on Naruto.  
But today...  
Today everything was different.  
Today, Gaara's skin was like that of a peach; easily bruised.

"Why are you out by yourself? Shouldn't you be with Uzumaki?"  
"Maybe someone finally ended him! I haven't seen him for days!"  
"Good riddance!"  
Laughter.  
Their comments were so silly, so utterly lame.  
At the level of kindergarteners.  
But that was of no matter to Gaara. They pissed him off nonetheless.

He felt his temper building up.  
His fists clenched in fury.  
Slight tremor rose in him; he was losing control.  
Anger camouflaged what little fear he felt though, forced him to forget about it.  
Glaring at the group, with a murderous intent in his green eyes, he stepped forward.  
All the anger and hate that had been latent in him for so long flared up.

The boys stepped back, obviously intimidated by the way he looked at them.  
Gaara was someone it was fun to tease. But it was a deadly game to play if you forgot how dangerous he was.

Glee mixed with the intense rush of hatred Gaara felt when he saw the fear in their eyes.  
He wanted them to fear him.  
He wanted them to suffer. All of them.  
Sometimes he nearly scared himself when he started to feel tingles of excitement emerge along with his fury, but not now. He was too far gone to realize what he was doing.

"Gaara,"  
He stopped, confusion adding to the chaos of emotions inside of him.  
"That's enough."  
A warm hand came to rest on Gaara's shoulder, holding him back.  
At first, the red was infuriated by the feeling of someone touching him, the notion that someone interfered, but then he felt the relief wash over him.  
He didn't want to hurt anyone. Not really.  
He was just so...angry.

"Are you out of your mind?"  
"He's dangerous!"

"That's what I should be telling you," Neji said calmly.  
Gaara stared at him.  
He was calm again now, but trembling.  
Trembling from exhaustion, confusion and from fear.  
The fear that hadn't gripped him before washed over him now.  
It felt like his knees would give in, but somehow he managed to keep himself up.

"You'd do wise not to torment others," Neji continued, taking a step forward, without letting go of Gaara's shoulder, "Especially Gaara. You know better than to aggravate him, don't you? Seeing how you claim to know all about him."

The one who seemed to be the leader of the group, Neji recognized him from school, answered him; "Of course! Everyone knows that he's a psycho!"

"Just because he's different from you it gives you no right to talk about him like that," Neji was still just as calm.  
His eyes though, they were pale, and fierce, glaring at the lot of them.  
"Now, I suggest you fuck off," his voice fell to a lower, more threatening tone, "Or I'll show you what real fear is."

Gaara just stared at him.  
He wasn't sure he understood what was happening, but he was grateful. He could've handled those assholes himself, but dealing with his own anger was more of a problem.  
In any case, Neji's threat seemed to work, because the group flew the scene.

The Hyuuga looked over at the younger teen.  
"Why are you out here alone?" he inquired.  
"It's not like I'm banned from going outside you know," Gaara replied, sounding angrier than he intended to, "I'm on my way back from my siblings' house." he added hurriedly.  
"Oh," Neji nodded, "Are you ok though? You seemed pretty out of it..."  
Gaara looked away, "I'll be fine."  
"So you're on your way home? Want me to drive you?"  
The red shook his head, "Not really. I'm just walking around. To be someplace neutral..."

Neji wasn't sure he understood what the other meant by that, but continued to nod in response.

"Neji?" Gaara's voice sounded a bit uncertain.  
"Yeah?"  
"Thanks..."  
"You're welcome." the brunette squeezed his shoulder, touching his lips swiftly to Gaara's temple, "I'm just glad I showed up. It could've turned out ugly..."  
"Yeah..." Gaara said, closing his eyes.  
The brief touch of Neji's lips on his temple felt so soothing, as did it when the elder kissed him softly on the forehead. And then, when his lips found Gaara's own in a gentle kiss.  
"I don't want to go home..." Gaara heard himself whisper, in a voice that was so unlike his own.  
Neji ran his fingers through locks of red, closing his eyes.  
"Then where do you want to go?"  
"Nowhere..." the red replied, sounding a bit lost.

Neji sighed, watching as Gaara got out his phone.  
He dialed a number and waited for someone to pick up.  
"Baa-chan?" his voice was close to normal now, "Hey, I'm staying over, 'kay? Mhm. Yeah, Temari wanted me to. Just wanted to let you know."  
The red smiled slightly. "Not like Naruto at all. No. 'Kay, bye."  
He stuffed the phone back into his pocket.

"Going back to your siblings?" Neji asked him.  
Gaara shook his head. "No."  
"Then where-"  
"Can I come to your house?"  
Neji stared at him. "You want to go to my house?"  
The red nodded.  
Neji was neutral. Neji's house was neutral. He liked being around the other boy, it made him relax. It brought forth feelings in him that were new and exciting.  
And he made him forget.  
"Okay," he smiled at Gaara, touching their lips softly together, "Let's go to my house."

Thankful, Gaara followed Neji to his car.  
He wasn't nervous, but... He remembered Neji's words, when they had been whispered with that hoarse voice, _'I want you' , 'We can't do this here...'_

* * *

Naruto glanced over at Sasuke. The raven was quiet, but otherwise fine.  
They'd been at it for more than an hour already, and Sasuke showed no signs of freaking out. Not that Naruto had expected him to, but it had to be difficult. This wasn't _one _grave. It was many.  
In fact, Naruto had been overwhelmed at first, when they stepped into the Uchiha family's private grave site, and he saw all the tombstones.  
Given, only about ten of these were those of the Uchiha's who had been murdered that night, the rest of them were Sasuke's ancestors from way back in time, as well as family members that had died of natural causes before the Uchiha Massacre.

He caught himself wondering if it was the Xanax that made Sasuke stay so calm.  
He wondered if the boy would've been an emotional wreck without them, but that was impossible to imagine. It just didn't fit Sasuke's image.

Still, Sasuke was acting a lot calmer than Naruto thought he would.  
There wasn't a hint of sorrow in his eyes, not a trace of that dread that had been present in him earlier. His hands weren't shaking in the slightest, like Naruto's had been when he went to his father's grave.  
But he was quiet.  
Sasuke had hardly said a word all night.  
He'd chosen to do as Naruto; clean the gravesite at night when everyone else were at the festival, so he would be spared the sympathetic glances and whispers.

Sasuke stopped in front of the farthest tombstones.  
Naruto stayed behind, continuing what he was doing over by the older graves.

The teen dropped to his knees before one of the stones, bowing his head in respect before lighting the incense.  
The crisp scent tickled in his nose and throat.  
It brought tears to his eyes.  
He blinked, forcing them back.  
The stone before him carried the names Uchiha Fugaku and Mikoto. His parents.  
It struck him that he hadn't seen this tombstone in years.  
Only once since the funeral, and back then he'd been so out of it he didn't even care.

Still, that wasn't the hardest part about being here.  
What really tore him apart from inside was the small charm and white candle standing further away.  
In remembrance of Itachi.

His brother had no grave, because there was no body.  
Nevertheless this candle was placed at the gravesite.  
Wasn't that the same thing as pronouncing him to be dead?

Sasuke stared at the charm.  
He sighed deeply, lighting the candle.  
The flame blossomed, a glow of light illuminating nothing more than a small radius of the site.  
And there, in the flickering light, stood his brother.  
"No..." Sasuke whispered, taking a step back.  
'Itachi' raised his hand, gesturing towards the candle.  
"Ridiculous isn't it?" he asked, moving closer.  
"Commemorating someone who's not even dead...Right, Sasuke?" the hallucination reached his hand towards Sasuke, running it along his cheek, through his hair.  
And Sasuke felt the touch.  
He _felt _it. As if Itachi was really standing there.  
But of course he wasn't.  
He wasn't!

Naruto winced.  
"Sasuke?" he asked, "Did you say something just now?"  
When the raven didn't answer, Naruto stood, turning to look at him.  
Sasuke was standing in front of a lit candle, staring straight ahead.  
When Naruto looked closer he noticed that the Uchiha was pale. Paler than usual, almost white.  
He looked positively terrified.  
"Sasuke?"  
There was no response.  
Naruto dropped what was in his hands, hurrying over to the raven.  
Now that he came closer, he noticed that Sasuke was shaking too.  
"Sasuke?" he tried again.

"Answer him, Sasuke. Introduce us." 'Itachi' urged. He smiled.  
Cold sweats emerged on Sasuke's back.  
"Go away," he mouthed.  
"What did you say?" the blonde next to him said.  
"Yes," 'Itachi' said, "What did you say?"  
"Go away!" his voice was higher this time. High, and raw. "You're not real!"  
"S-Sasuke? What are you talking about?" Naruto asked, shaking Sasuke carefully, "Of course I'm real. I'm right here!"  
He sounded scared, Sasuke noted.  
"Not you..." he mumbled, voice shaking, "Itachi..."

That last word was so low Naruto couldn't make it out.

"You really want me to go away?" 'Itachi' asked softly.  
Sasuke nodded. "Please...""Please what? Sasuke?" Naruto's voice was growing more desperate by the minute.  
Sasuke's eyes were fixated on something Naruto couldn't see, and it scared him.  
He'd seemed fine just minutes ago!

"Alright," said the Itachi replica, "I'll leave you to it. You're a good kid for taking care of our family," he smiled again. It was creepy, but familiar and almost comforting.  
Or it would have been, if Sasuke's blood hadn't turned to icicles.

In the next moment, 'Itachi' was gone.  
Sasuke fell to his knees, Naruto throwing himself down to the ground after him.  
"Sasuke!" he shrilled, "Are you okay?!"  
"Naruto..." Sasuke's voice trembled, "There's...something you should..."  
He turned his dark gaze to Naruto, building up the courage to say what he'd been holding back ever since Anko announced it yesterday.  
"It wasn't a school," he said.  
Naruto just stared blankly at him.  
"I don't understand...?"  
"Where I transferred from," Sasuke glared down at the ground again, "It's not a school. It's an institution."  
"I-institution...?"  
"And I'm not going on a vacation. They're sending me back."

It was like someone stabbed Naruto through the heart.  
What was Sasuke saying?  
It was hard to understand what the pale teen was talking about. Frantically Naruto's mind tried to piece the puzzle together.  
"You were institutionalized?" he finally asked, fearing the answer.  
Sasuke nodded.  
"Why?" Naruto's voice was barely audible.  
Sasuke shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it here. Let's go."  
He stood, dragging Naruto up by the hand.  
His legs were shaky, but he'd manage.

Supposedly it was bad to leave the grave like this, but he didn't care.  
He had to get away.  
Even the house was better than this.  
He pulled Naruto along, out into the car.

"Should you be driving?" Naruto asked nervously.  
"Don't worry. I'm fine now." Sasuke lied. He was still feeling like he'd been run over by a train, but if there was something he'd learned over the past weeks, it was how to suppress that feeling and act rationally. If he hadn't, he probably would've been a nervous wreck by now.

* * *

"What happened back there?" Naruto asked as soon as they were seated in Sasuke's room.  
Sasuke sighed, running his hands through jet black tresses.  
He exhaled slowly, wondering where to start.  
"I don't want you to worry..." he finally began.  
Naruto didn't know what to make of that. Clearly he was worrying already.  
"What do you mean you don't want me to worry?!" he exploded, "You're taking Xanax, you've been institutionalized once before and now you're being sent back! You're talking to yourself and...I don't understand!" his voice cracked.

Sasuke's hand touched his cheek.  
"Naruto," he said softly, "It scares me just as much as it scares you...And I don't understand it either..."  
Their eyes met.  
"Listen, I'm gonna try to explain..." Sasuke said, trying to sound as calm as possible.  
He wanted Naruto to think he was in control.  
"I'm on Xanax because I wanted off medication, and Anko refused to let me entirely. I used to be on something called Seroquel. Do you know it?"  
Naruto shook his head.  
"Ok, it doesn't matter." Sasuke assured him, stroking his thumb along the scars on Naruto's cheek as he spoke, "I switched to Xanax, and it gave me some side effects."  
He felt sick just thinking about it.  
Naruto nodded.  
"The thing is..." Sasuke continued, "I don't think they have quite let up yet...And that's the reason why I'm going away."  
He felt like he was explaining it to a child.  
But it was only so Naruto wouldn't have to worry. He needed it to sound as harmless as possible, so the blonde wouldn't suffer at the thought of him when he was gone.

"That doesn't explain what happened," Naruto said. Of course. He wasn't a child after all.  
Naruto was brighter than he looked. And he was the most important person Sasuke had in his life. He owed him the truth.  
With great difficulty, Sasuke told him: "Naruto...I...I'm seeing things."  
Naruto's lips parted. "Seeing..?" he croaked.  
"Yeah," Sasuke nodded, "When we were at the gravesite, I saw my brother. I've been seeing him alot lately actually...That's what freaked me out."

He waited for a reaction.  
Naruto just stared, shocked. "You're hallucinating?"

Sasuke had refused to admit it to Anko, and to Kakashi.  
What they knew, they had figured out themselves. But Naruto... He couldn't lie to Naruto.  
He nodded again. "Yes."  
Sasuke paused, continuing to run his thumb along Naruto's cheek in that same soothing movement.  
"It scares the crap out of me...But most likely it's the Xanax causing it."  
"Then quit taking it!"  
Sasuke smiled.  
"Don't think I haven't tried. But they won't let me," he frowned, "That's why I'm going. Because they want to keep me under supervision when they take me off the pills. To see if I get worse. Or if it's just a side-effect."  
"That's all?" Naruto gripped, Sasuke's wrist. "That's all right?"  
Sasuke nodded, "Don't worry," he said, smiling. "I'm not crazy."

Naruto felt angered all of a sudden, pushing Sasuke hard back on the bed.  
"Don't joke about that you bastard!"  
His eyes squeezed shut, as tears welled up.  
He had no idea why that happened. Maybe he was scared.  
Scared of losing Sasuke, now that he finally got him back.

"Naruto..." Sasuke whispered softly. "I'm not joking about it. But it's easier to deal with this way..."  
"Jerk," the fox muttered. He fell forward, landing on top of Sasuke, resting his head on his chest.  
Sasuke's arms went around his waist, warm, strong and protective.  
And yet, Sasuke was the one who needed to be protected, Naruto thought.  
He could hear the Uchiha's heart beating against his ear.  
"Why were you institutionalized the first time?" he finally asked.

Sasuke sighed.  
He didn't want to bring up all of this.  
It was like ripping open an old flesh wound, watching it bleed.  
But at the same time...He didn't want to keep all these things bottled up inside of himself anymore.  
He wanted Naruto to know.  
He felt ashamed when talking about it, but Naruto somehow made him open up so easily, just by looking at him and smiling.  
And he had such a big part in Sasuke's history, he _deserved _to know what had happened after Iruka had taken him away.

And so, for reasons he had a hard time understanding, Sasuke found himself to be letting Naruto in on everything.  
How he'd stayed for three years at the other orphanage after Naruto was taken away.  
Things hadn't been different there after Naruto left, only darker, gloomier.  
Other than that, the kids were yelled at, beaten up and starved as punishment for any mistake they did. Just like when Naruto was there.  
The physical pain that was inflicted on him daily faded in comparison to the torment inside of him though. He was a child who knew nothing but anguish and pain, from losing his entire family and then Naruto.

"When I was ten, I finally got away from that place," Sasuke said, "But I can't really remember by who... Or how it happened. But like you, I was moved."  
The place where Sasuke had wound up wasn't exactly an orphanage, nor was it a foster home.  
It was sort of a crossover between both.  
He didn't really remember much from his years there, apart from being very quiet and enclosed.  
Later, Anko and the other doctors had claimed his depression had started back then, which would explain why he remembered so little.  
The only thing that was still clear in his mind from the time there was the pain.  
"I probably remember it so well because it never stopped hurting," Sasuke said, shrugging.  
Naruto nodded. He clung to every word that came out of Sasuke's mouth.

Sasuke continued, telling him of how he had reached a point when he was twelve where it became so unbearable he had no idea how to handle it. Up until then, there hadn't been anyone to talk to, and he didn't want to get close to anyone either, so there was no way for him to relieve the stress. Things just kept adding to the burden.

It had even gone so far that he'd slashed his wrists over the pain, but it hadn't worked very well. It had only caused him to be invaded by teachers and psychologists, as well as causing people to patronize him. He disliked it. And besides, he didn't want to be another angsty, self-harming teenage cliché. Cutting wasn't for him, he realized, so he coped with his pain.  
By then though, it was already too late.  
The cuts were noticed, and so the accusations of attempted suicide came to life. That was his cue to be shipped off to see a shrink, and then getting committed.

That explained why he'd winced when Naruto commented the cut on his finger, the blonde thought, shifting slightly as Sasuke continued his story. The flow of words was unstoppable, and it was so hard to comprehend that this was Sasuke talking. The same Sasuke who replied with single-syllables and grunts.

After several psychologists tried and failed with him, Anko came into the picture.  
She was a strong and firm woman, knowing exactly what was best for him, or so she thought.  
Although Sasuke loathed their sessions, she made him talk. She dragged out of him all the things he had been bottling up. He would just list them to her, with no emotions on display, except from maybe anger.  
She was though, perhaps one of the only persons at that hospital who believed him when he said that he didn't want to kill himself. And for that, he was thankful.

All of these things just streamed from Sasuke's lips, like he had no control over them.  
Naruto listened, not interrupting him even once.  
It was no wonder, he thought, that Sasuke's emotions were so screwed up. It was no wonder that he acted the way he did.

Finally, Sasuke reached the part of the story where the doctors decided they wanted to try him in the 'real world' as they called it, and thus sent him off to live by himself, under the supervision of Kakashi, who'd come into the picture when they enrolled him at Konoha High.

"They still don't think I'm healthy though," Sasuke finished, "I still see Anko. You know that. And occasionally they call me back to the hospital to talk to me about crap that only wastes my time. And then there's the meds. I keep telling them that I'm fine. But they refuse."  
Naruto thought that maybe they were right. Maybe Sasuke needed to keep taking the medicines. Even if he wasn't suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome after the death of his family members, it sounded like the pills helped keep the Uchiha stable.  
Maybe the Xanax was a bad idea... No, Xanax was most definitely a horrible idea!  
But Naruto had a feeling Sasuke needed the Seroquel-thing still.  
Of course, Sasuke being Sasuke he would never admit to that.

The room fell silent as soon as Sasuke stopped talking.  
All of a sudden he felt like an idiot.  
What was he doing, pouring his heart out like that?!  
He remembered what 'Itachi' had told him in the kitchen; "What'll he think when he finds out you're crazy?"  
But Naruto seemed calm.  
Overwhelmed, but calm.

The blonde chose not to ask any questions.  
He wanted to take in the information and process it properly first.  
But there was one thing he wanted to know;  
"When do you leave?"  
"Tomorrow..."  
"Tomorrow!" once again Naruto's voice filled the entire room, echoing in the hallways. "Why didn't you say so?!"  
"I was going to tell you," Sasuke mumbled, "But things got...hectic."  
"Damn right they did!" Naruto nearly screamed.  
It was fear, he realized. Fear that washed over him.  
Sasuke was leaving.  
It didn't matter if it was only for a few weeks.  
He was leaving.  
Tomorrow.  
Naruto felt empty.

"I don't _want_ to leave, if that's what you're thinking." Sasuke grumbled.  
"I'm not!" Naruto denied.  
"But I don't have a choice," Sasuke sighed, "I'm allowing them to do this so I can get off those pills. I'm not crazy yet, but if I see Itachi one more time..."  
"I told you not to joke about that!" Naruto shrilled.  
"Sorry."

They sat in silence, Naruto resting his forehead on Sasuke's chest.  
"There's a thing I want to ask you," Sasuke whispered into Naruto's blonde locks.  
"Hmm?"  
The raven gripped Naruto's chin between his thumb and index finger, tilting his head upwards.  
He brought their lips together, carefully.  
"Sleep with me tonight..."

Naruto's body stiffened. He pulled back.  
"S-Sasuke..."

"Not like that usuratonkatchi," Sasuke rolled his eyes, "I mean, obviously that would be nice too..." he smirked.  
Naruto blushed scarlet and stuck his tongue out at him.  
"What I mean, dobe," Sasuke said, moving aside the bedspread, lifting up the covers, "Is that I want to sleep next to you again."  
"Oh."  
"Oh? Is that all you're going to say?"  
Naruto shook his head. "No! Uh... I'd like that...To sleep with you...I mean..." he tripped over the words, "Is that really -?"  
"All I want, yes." Sasuke assured him, "I just want to be close to you Naruto, before I leave."

The fox nodded. "Okay. I'll just let them know I won't be coming home..."  
He picked up his phone, calling to say that he'd be staying over at Sasuke's, because he was sick. Chiyo was uncertain at first, but concluded that Sasuke needed someone to stay with him since he lived all alone.

"So," Sasuke smirked when Naruto hung up the phone, "I'm sick, am I?"  
"Kinda..." Naruto dribbled.  
"Hn," Sasuke smiled, "Get under the covers dobe."

Naruto crawled into the bed, nuzzling up to Sasuke.  
They were both fully dressed, but it didn't matter.  
After last time, it was probably best to just keep their clothes on.  
Sasuke's hand went around Naruto's waist, pulling him close. His nose pressed against the nape of Naruto's neck, his breath tickling him.  
Naruto relaxed.  
He was exhausted. They hadn't done much today, but it had still been eventful.  
Sasuke's scent on the covers and pillows, and his lips pressing against Naruto's shoulder lulled him into a sense of safety, and soon to sleep.  
The last thing he heard was Sasuke's quiet "Thank you."

* * *

The next day was beyond surreal.  
Naruto awoke at the crack of dawn, finding Sasuke to be up already.  
A bag was sitting on the floor, and Naruto realized that Sasuke was packing.

The Uchiha came in from the bathroom, holding his toothbrush in his one hand.  
"You're up?"  
Naruto nodded, scrambling to his feet. "You're leaving?"  
"Soon..." Sasuke replied, stuffing a few more shirts into the bag, "Kakashi called, didn't you hear the phone?"  
"No... Why's Kakashi coming?"  
"He's driving me." Sasuke explained, "I'm not supposed to drive. I'm on Xanax, remember?"  
Naruto stared blankly.  
"Anko's coming too," Sasuke rolled his eyes, "It'll be like one big party."  
"Want me to help you with anything?"  
"It's ok," Sasuke shook his head, "I'm mostly done..."

Naruto felt useless.  
Last night he'd stayed with Sasuke because he needed him to, and now he couldn't even help him pack?  
He sighed. It was useless.  
This anger was just trying to cover up how horrified he felt.  
Sasuke was really leaving.  
And why was that bastard so calm about it!?  
"I'm not," Sasuke said, reading his mind, "I'm not calm. I hate this. I just...I'm too tired to fight back, you know? I just want to go there so I can go home."  
He came over to Naruto, hugging him tightly, lips brushing over Naruto's ear when he spoke; "So I can come back..." he left out the rest of the sentence.  
He'd wanted to say 'So I can come back to you', but ended up holding it in after all.  
Still, he was sure Naruto knew what he meant.

They got another forty minutes together before the doorbell rang.  
Outside Kakashi, Iruka and a woman wearing a trenchcoat; Naruto figured that was Anko were standing.  
"Ready?" Kakashi asked, taking Sasuke's bag.  
"No."  
"Sure you are!" Anko beamed, "I know you're dreading this, but it's for your own good!"  
Sasuke sighed.  
Right now he just wanted to grab Naruto and run away.  
Run forever and never look back.  
But the thought of having 'Itachi' haunting them forever wasn't appealing, and it had him following the others into the driveway.

"We should get going," Anko announced, "They're expecting us."  
She looked at Sasuke, who was looking at Naruto.

Internally he was screaming at the top of his lungs that he didn't want to.  
He wanted to stay.  
He wanted to be with Naruto.  
He didn't want Naruto to be sad.

Because the blonde's eyes were already moist. He saw it, and it felt like an arrow through the chest.  
"Here," he said, handing Naruto a key, "Water my plants."

Sasuke had no plants.  
It was just his way of saying 'Here, if you want to feel close to me'.  
Naruto smiled, clenching the key in his hand.

"Hurry up Sasuke!" Anko shouted, sounding like they were just about to go off on a happy family holiday.

The Uchiha prodigy remained standing.  
He looked at Naruto. Who looked back at him, eyes still welling with tears.  
"I'll miss you." Naruto whispered.  
"I know. Me too."

Sasuke turned, starting to walk towards the car, but then he stopped.  
Abruptly, he turned on his heel, striding over to Naruto again.  
"Sasuke?" Kakashi called, "Did you forget something?"  
The teen didn't reply.  
He stopped in front of Naruto again.  
"I'll see you soon," he said, refusing to say good bye.  
"Yeah. Soon," Naruto grinned, but felt his bravado crumbling.

Damn Sasuke!  
Why couldn't he just go, so this stupid, awkward, _painful _goodbye would stop?!  
He got his answer when Sasuke pulled him close and kissed him.  
Oh. So that's why.  
His lips were soft, yet hard on Naruto's.  
The blonde willingly parted his lips, forgetting all about the three adults standing right next to them. He accepted Sasuke's tongue, purring softy when it brushed over his own, engaging it in a dance. His arms went around Sasuke's neck, just as the teen broke the kiss, only to kiss him again, more carefully this time.  
Then he let him go, and made for the car.  
"I'll see you dobe," he said, slamming the door shut.

Naruto nodded, ignoring the gaping Iruka standing next to him.  
"I'll see you, Sasuke-teme."

As the engine roared, and the car started down the road, Naruto broke.  
The tears welled over.  
Not so much because he knew he'd miss Sasuke.  
Not because he was in love with him.  
But because Sasuke had placed his everything in that kiss, and now he'd be miserable.  
Naruto knew that he would be. It was written all over Sasuke's expressionless face when he got in the car, even if Naruto was the only one who saw it.

Iruka came over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.  
"So that's how it is, huh?"  
Naruto nodded, staring at the ground.  
"He'll be fine," the teacher assured, "Come on, let's go have breakfast."  
Naruto followed, but knew that he wouldn't have an appetite for a long time.  
There was only one thing on his mind; _"What is Sasuke thinking now?"_

* * *

TBC


	12. Kugatsu

**

* * *

**

Disclaimer:

Even after all this time I do not own ANYTHING. Which makes me sort of sad.

**Author's notes:**

After this chapter, I've only finished one more, so the delays between each chapter are gonna be loner from here on. I'm sorry! D:  
But I'll do my best! :3

**Warnings:  
**For this chapter: Angst, language, lemon, which has been censored...

* * *

**Kugatsu,  
****part 1:**

Sasuke tried to force himself to look away.  
As much as he'd agreed to coming here voluntarily, he was all but going into convulsions as the car drove through the gates to the enormous property, with the hospital centered in the middle.  
Within these walls an artificial environment had been constructed; The buildings were large, built in red bricks, rather than looking like the modern constructions in the city. Around them there was a vast lawn, graveled paths, hedges and flowers.  
On the other side of the main building, a soccer field and basket ball field were located.  
This was all to make the patients feel like they were still a part of society, with something to do, even thought they were all hospitalized.

Sasuke snorted audibly. He didn't want to look at all of this.  
He didn't want to remember it.  
And he didn't want to stay here.  
Asking Anko to turn the vehicle around was a lost cause though, so he sat in silence, glaring down into his lap again.

The car came to a stop on the parking lot in front of the main building; the hospital itself. Or, _clinic, _Sasuke corrected himself.  
Supposedly it was a far less threatening word than 'hospital', but as far as he knew, a clinic was a small building with little funding, a small staff and few patients.  
"Here we are," Kakashi turned to him in the backseat, smiling.  
The idiot.  
"Sasuke," Anko said, "Would you like a minute to prepare, or should we just go straight ahead?"  
"Tch," Sasuke bit his lip, unfastening his seat belt, "Let's just get it over with."  
Anko nodded, getting out of the car.  
As did Kakashi.  
When the therapist shot him a glance, the man said calmly; "I think it's best that I go with him, being his guardian and all."  
Sasuke glared up at him through his window. He didn't need a guardian.  
What he needed... the teen clenched his fists.

The door was opened, Kakashi's hand coming to rest on his shoulder.  
"Come on then," the teacher said.  
Sliding himself out of the seat, getting out of the car, Sasuke followed behind the teacher as Anko dragged them both towards the entrance.  
"Are you nervous?" Anko asked him.  
He didn't reply.  
Nervous wasn't the right word anyway.  
Neither was comfortable.  
This place was where he least wished to be in the entire world right now, so why had he agreed to coming here again?

He walked through the door with the two others, his mind preoccupied with the thought of the way Naruto had looked when they'd parted, a few hours earlier.  
If someone had ripped his heart out of his chest and stepped on it, it couldn't hurt more than it did knowing that he was the reason behind this face.  
He'd made Naruto cry, and it was unforgivable.

"You're going to be fine," Anko said, slowing down so he could catch up to her.  
Kakashi was already making his way down the hall towards the reception desk.  
The woman slipped her arm around Sasuke's shoulder, well-knowing that he hated her for doing so. But Anko's will to help never failed.  
He sighed deeply, allowing her to lead him to the counter.  
He could've talked for himself, but he didn't bother. Remaining still, he listened as Anko informed the receptionist of his name and why he was there.

The woman at the counter peered up at him through her large specs, smiling hurriedly. She obviously remembered him, and Sasuke did not like it, his paranoia was telling him she had already labeled him as a nutcase - or as a self-mutilator.  
Maybe even both.  
Sasuke scowled at her, making his way over to the purple couch in the waiting area. In the corner of his eye he thought he spotted a familiar teen with light hair disappearing through the door further down the hall.

Anko and Kakashi seated themselves on either side of him, without saying a word as they waited for some doctor to come and get them.  
Briefly, the Uchiha wondered if it'd be one of the doctors who'd been 'in charge' of him before.

After only a couple of minutes, a doctor he didn't recognize from before came through a door, asking the three of them to follow him.  
Sasuke stood, following the man, walking a couple of steps in front of the two others.  
He stared straight ahead, not a thought on his mind as he followed the man into the next room, the door shutting behind him.

* * *

Naruto picked at the food on the plate before him on the table with his fork.  
Even though Iruka had taken him back to his house preparing a breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast when Naruto turned the offer of ramen down, the teen had no appetite whatsoever.  
The omelet on his plate now resembled soggy scrambled eggs more than anything else, and it was getting cold.

Iruka looked over at him, sighing.  
The usually talkative teen had been quiet ever since they drove back here from Sasuke's house.  
It was understandable, but worrying all the same.

"Naruto," he tried, "You should eat a little..."  
Naruto looked away, putting down his fork.  
Iruka sighed again. "Not hungry, eh?"The blonde shook his head, standing. Without a word he took his plate over to the sink, disposing off the breakfast, and leaving the empty plate on the counter.  
When he turned around to look at the teacher, he finally spoke; "Sorry."  
"Don't be," Iruka replied, pulling himself together. He shoved his own plate aside.  
"That scene back there was pretty strong..."

Naruto plopped down on his chair again, looking dully back at the man.  
"I just didn't think...it'd be _that_ quick!"  
"Hm?" Iruka looked at him in confusion.  
"All of a sudden he just up and tells me that he's leaving _today_, and... He could've said so earlier!"  
Naruto fisted his hand, glaring down at the table. "Did you know? Did Kakashi-sensei tell you?"  
"I didn't know much," the man admitted, "But..."  
"You knew he was sick?" Naruto demanded, hating himself for using that word. Sasuke wasn't sick. He'd said so himself. The medicines made him sick, and still he needed them.  
"I didn't know, no." Iruka shook his head, "Kakashi expressed his worry to me, but I didn't know anything more than you until just last night."  
"Why were you there?" Naruto wondered.  
"Someone had to drive Kakashi's car back..." Iruka started, but interrupted himself, looking down at the table. "Actually," he mumbled, "I came with because I knew you were there. I thought you might need someone to talk to."

There was a hint of gratefulness in Naruto's eyes.  
A soft smile crossed Iruka's scarred face, he reached out, stroking over Naruto's blonde locks.  
"You needed it more than I thought, didn't you?"

The teen said nothing, averting his eyes. "I'm not..." he started.  
The teacher cocked an eyebrow.  
"I'm not upset...for my own sake," Naruto said, looking up at Iruka again, "It's just that... Sasuke's gonna be alone again... He's probably used to it, but I don't think he likes it."  
Naruto shook his head. "I don't think he likes it at all..."

There was no answer to that, Iruka thought. Naruto was right, that was obvious, but telling him so would only add to his burden. The teen had enough to think about.  
And for that reason, the teacher kept quiet, even though he had more than a few questions he wanted to ask.  
Come to think of it, maybe that brief conversation they'd had just after Anko and Kakashi took Sasuke with them was answer enough? The scene itself had been pretty clear at least.  
Naruto didn't need him to ask questions about Sasuke, not now.  
He needed to calm down. They could talk later, when Naruto himself decided he wanted to.

Again the teacher ran his hand through Naruto's hair. A simple gesture of comfort that said more than any words could have in this situation.  
Naruto sighed. "I'm tired." he said.  
It didn't matter that he'd slept for hours the night before; Sasuke's departure had worn him out, mentally and physically.  
"Why don't you go to your room? Rest a little," Iruka's eyes were full of concern, "I'll call Chiyo-san."  
"Okay," Naruto replied, nodding slowly, starting to head out of the kitchen and towards his own room.

He didn't even bother to flick the light switch when he entered the room. Not that it would've made much difference in broad daylight.  
Stumbling over to his bed, which was neatly made as always, he collapsed, falling face first into his pillow. It felt good to drown out the world in the darkness.  
His eyes were still burning from the tears he'd shed without wanting to, the dark providing a slight relief from the sensation, though he had no idea whether they were shut or not.

He tried telling himself that he had to be strong; that breaking down like this wouldn't make things any better.  
Sasuke was the one who was suffering, not him. He had to keep that in mind.  
And Sasuke would come back! It wasn't as if he'd be locked up forever.  
Naruto doubted the Uchiha would want to come back and see him like this, like _he _was the one who'd been taken away and medicated.

From the bottom of his heart, Naruto wished that these logical thoughts would cut through to himself, but they didn't. At this time he was far too irrational and upset to suppress the misery he felt.  
Turning his head enough to allow himself to breathe, Naruto stared out into his room.  
It was rather naked, apart from the TV, desk and bookshelf. A thin layer of dust was covering the TV screen, proving that even Iruka could be sloppy when it came to housework once in a while.

His eyes fell to the carpet on the floor; it was deep red. A shade that almost burned his eyes, and made him think of his best friend.  
But calling Gaara now would be stupid, he thought, killing the intention before it had time to arise; Gaara didn't know anything about Sasuke's problems, and the Uchiha probably wanted it to remain that way. Which reminded Naruto that he had to think of a way to explain Sasuke's absence... They all knew he was going away. But what if he didn't come back before school started again?

Had they already told them something? Naruto couldn't remember. His thoughts stood still.  
His eyelids were heavy; sliding down to shut his swollen, red eyes.  
The blonde welcomed the sleepiness, allowing it to take over him and chase away everything that hurt.

* * *

Gaara peered his eyes open, yawning.  
It was bright, he noted; brighter than mornings usually were.  
He squinted, lifting his head from the pillow.

It took him a couple of seconds to realize that the room he was looking around at wasn't the crummy room he shared with Naruto; it was neither cramped or dark. There were no flaccid paint that was supposed to brighten up the far too dark oak panels.

This room was light and spacious; white walls and doorframes, three grand windows along one of the walls, covered by long, dark drapes.  
At the other wall there was a large closet, a shelf and a door.

A little confused, the redhead blinked a couple of times, surveying the room once more.  
He attempted to sit up in the bed, and winced as a slight pain established itself in his lower back. At about the same time he realized that someone was sleeping next to him; soft breathing being the only thing disturbing the silence in the room.  
Dark rimmed eyes widened; last night coming back to him.

In the blink of an eye he remembered everything; how he'd been harassed by those guys when he was on his way home and how Neji had appeared out of nowhere.  
He remembered lying to Chiyo about where he was and then going home with Neji.  
And then... He allowed himself to sneak a peak over at the brunette who was sleeping next to him.

An insecure smile caught his lips as he recalled last night and what he didn't understand how he could've forgotten for as much as a nanosecond.

--

They hadn't spoken much to each other in the car after Neji had agreed to take Gaara home with him, just a sentence or two here and there about the festival and stuff.  
Neji had stayed away from the subject of what had just happened, and for that Gaara was grateful. He liked to think that he'd been fine by himself, - and he would, but the others wouldn't. It was a good thing Neji had showed up when he did, before anyone got hurt.  
And, Gaara reasoned, it was good because he hadn't felt like going home at all.

Staying with Kankuro and Temari would only stress him out and make him dwell too much on everything that had happened years ago. He couldn't stand the very thought of it.  
Going back to the orphanage wasn't better either; that itself was a reminder. But the real reason was that he didn't want to face Naruto. He couldn't bear seeing the other down.  
And even if Naruto didn't show that the season bothered him, he'd know it. Besides, the blonde would probably be talking non-stop about Sasuke anyway.  
And as much as he felt guilty about it, Gaara was glad to escape all of that, for just one night.

That may have been the reason why he was so unaffected when they drove up to Neji's house.  
Neji's _mansion._

Gaara eyed the manor curiously through the window. Everyone knew that the Hyuugas were well-off, so the size of Neji's home came as no surprise to him.  
However, he wondered how he could be so calm. _He_ had been raised in crummy apartments and the orphanage, and knew with certainty that if it had been Naruto in his stead, the blonde would be all over the place with excitement.  
He stepped out of the car, into the driveway and let his gaze wander down the path and gates they'd just come through.

"You call this a house?" he asked dryly, directing his green eyes to the Hyuuga.  
Neji's lip quirked.  
"It's my uncle's," he replied calmly, "My dad spends most of his time abroad with the company, so they took me in. I've been living here most of my life."  
The tone in Neji 's voice was a little harsh, he snorted softly. But Gaara didn't allow himself to react to it, and in the next second, the tone in Neji's voice was back to normal.  
"There shouldn't be anyone at home," he said, starting to walk up to the front door, "They're all attending the Farewell Bon Odori festival."  
He reached for the doorknob and furrowed his brow; the door was unlocked.  
"Okay...Maybe they're not..." he pushed the door open, leading Gaara into the hall. "That's odd though."  
He shrugged, "It doesn't matter...Come on."

The red took off his shoes, placing them next to the expensive-looking ones already lined up at the wall, and followed Neji.

His gaze ran along the walls in the hall; various paintings and family photos decorating them.  
Though he was sure the entire first floor of the orphanage could fit in the space that was this hallway. From the outside the Hyuuga mansion looked rather pretentious, but on the inside it wasn't quite as stuck up as Gaara had imagined it to be.  
The interior was designed to look like a mix between western and traditionally Japanese, something that worked surprisingly well.

Gaara was lagging slightly behind, distracted by the sights.  
He turned his attention back to the Hyuuga when he heard the other speaking;  
"Oh hey," Neji said, "You're here?"  
The brunette had stopped in front of a doorway apparently leading into the living room.  
"Yeah, Hanabi was tired, so I took her home. She's in bed now."

Gaara recognized the meek voice to be Hinata's.

"You've got comp-" Hinata started, her voice falling slightly when Gaara came up to the doorway as well, "-any..?"  
A weak flush spread on her neck and cheeks, the girl averting her eyes.  
Neji mumbled something like a reply. "We'll be in my room."  
Gaara thought he saw Hinata's blush deepening.  
A sweet anticipation was rising inside of him. He wondered if he should talk to the girl, but it would probably be a little weird to strike up a conversation with her when he came with her cousin...Or maybe it was stranger not to? He hadn't even said hi.

Before he could give it any further thought, Neji had signaled to follow him up the stairs.  
He probably should have been nervous, but instead he felt tired.  
He rarely went out on his own, and when he did it wore him out pretty quickly. Like all of his energy evaporated, just from leaving the house, leaving him emotionally exhausted.  
And at the same time his heart was beating just a little faster, anticipation rising a little higher with each step he climbed up the stairs.  
The pictures on the walls faded before his eyes, as if he no longer saw them.  
And the house itself wasn't as impressive anymore; he barely noticed anything but Neji's back when he followed the elder teen down another hall, to the door at the far end.

Neji's room was just like the rest of the house; grand, light and tidy.  
The walls were naked, with the exceptions of a cork board above his desk, and a framed calligraphy poster above the bed which was larger than his own and Naruto's put together.. Dark drapes were pulled aside at the grand windows, swaying slightly in the weak breeze that came through the open window closest to the bed.  
On the wall opposite the bed there was an LCD TV, and a shelf holding a DVD player and stereo.

Neji gestured towards the bed. "Sit," he offered.  
Gaara sank down on the mattress, still staring around the room.  
"Are you hungry?" Neji asked, "Do you want something?"  
Gaara shook his head, "I'm fine."  
The other regarded him silently, as if not quite believing him.  
Gaara shifted on the bed.  
"I'm just a little tired," he admitted.  
"Well, I'm starving," Neji said, taking off his college sweater, tossing it into the hamper by the door, "I'm gonna go look for something to eat. You just relax here, okay?" he handed Gaara the remote, flicking one of the buttons, turning it on, "Feel free to watch TV."  
Gaara nodded, eyeing the screen lazily.  
The music video that rolled over the screen didn't impress him: Some ridiculously skinny girl was bouncing around in a bikini whilst lyrics that could only be described as awful came out of her mouth.

As Neji stepped out into the hall, Hinata's voice called him from downstairs;  
"Neji!"  
"I'm on my way down!" he answered, "Hold on!"  
Gaara thought he heard the Hyuuga muttering something under his breath, but he wasn't sure. And he was too tired to stress it.  
He allowed himself to fall back on the soft pillows, not bothering to turn off the noisy spectacle that was the TV.  
A strange calm came over him, similar to the one he felt when he took sleeping pills and steadily grew drowsy, awaiting much needed sleep. He yawned, turning his head to the side.  
The pillow was weakly scented of Neji's hair; his shampoo and the smell that was unique to him only. A small smile crossed Gaara's lips, before he yawned again.  
The anticipation from before lay dormant in him now; the four sleepless nights he'd suffered this week, and tonight's events had left him exhausted.

Without being able to stop himself, he slipped from consciousness, falling asleep on the bed.

* * *

Neji cursed under his breath as he came back up the stairs, carrying a plate of baguettes.  
Why was it that everyone had to interfere with what he and Gaara were doing?  
As much as he cared for his cousin, he couldn't stand how she meddled sometimes. She had no business asking him about why he'd brought the red here, and that comment she'd made about Naruto and Gaara being close just pissed him off even more.  
Naruto had nothing to do with him and Gaara, even if he was Gaara's best friend. And sure, being overprotective was one thing; but the red had decided on his own accord to come here, proving he was ready to deal with whatever consequences that came with that choice.  
He followed the hall down to his own room, shaking his head. It was fine that she was worried on accord of Naruto; but frankly, Hinata should just keep her worries to herself.

Opening the door to his room again, Neji found something he hadn't been expecting at all; Gaara was sleeping.  
Carefully, the Hyuuga stepped over to his desk, setting down his plate, regarding the other teen who was fast asleep on his bed.  
He wondered whether he should wake him up, but decided against it, knowing that Gaara hardly ever got any sleep. So the brunette settled at the desk, dully watching the TV screen as he ate.

* * *

Gaara shifted on the bed, emitting a soft whimper.

Averting his eyes from the TV, Neji turned to look at him, furrowing his brow slightly as the red's hand moved, gripping a hold of his shirt, whimpering again.  
Feeling a little uncomfortable, he approached the boy on the bed. Coming closer, he realized that Gaara was sweating. No wonder really, considering how hot it was outside as well as in the room, despite air conditioning. And Gaara was fully dressed.

Neji sat down on the bed next to the sleeping teen, placing his hand on his forehead. Gaara didn't feel feverish, but he was hot.

"Gaara?" Neji tried, touching his hand to the boy's chest. The red head moved a little, but didn't wake.  
"I'm just gonna unbutton your shirt..." Neji said quietly, moving his fingers to open the first button in Gaara's shirt.  
When he reached for the fourth button, Gaara shifted again, his eyelids fluttering slightly before peering open.  
Their eyes met.  
The red's lips parted, his green eyes quizzically digging into pale orbs.  
"Neji?" Gaara mouthed.  
"You're hot," the Hyuuga explained, his words hanging in the air for seconds after they left his lips, the atmosphere in the room changing, tension arising.

Surprised at his own boldness, Gaara didn't allow his eyes to look away, instead closing his hand around the Hyuuga's.  
His lips parted into a small smirk.  
"Really?" he said, letting his voice drop a notch, coming out as a hoarse, coaxing whisper.  
The elegant Hyuuga above him raised an eyebrow, his grip on Gaara's shirt tightening as he pulled the boy up towards himself, pressing their lips together.

Gaara squeezed his eyes tightly shut, melting into the kiss.  
When it broke he gasped for air, but longed for the kiss to continue.  
He tilted his head upwards, catching Neji's lips again, attempting to sit up enough to press closer to the elder teen as he did.  
Neji held him back though, pushing him back down on the bed, his lips moving down the red's jaw, settling on his neck where they proceeded to nip and suck gently.  
A slight gasp escaped his lips, and another, as Neji bit down on his jugular, his tongue making circular movements over pale skin.

"Do you know..." Neji growled huskily, "What you're doing to me...?"  
"Mmh..." Gaara found himself unable to reply with anything except a soft groan.  
He knew what to expect from this, and that there was no turning back at this point; little shots of excitement went up his spine.  
His hand, still clenching Neji's wrist tightened it's grip.

The Hyuuga's tongue brushed along the shell of his ear, toying with his piercings. Shivers ran down the teen's back. He arched up to the other, allowing another whimper-like sound to fall from his lips.

"You know why I brought you here, don't you?" Neji whispered into his ear, as if he'd been reading his mind.  
Gaara gave a slight nod.  
He felt dizzy at the sensation of Neji's breath on his ear, hot from the feel of the other's hand on the bare skin of his chest. He probably wasn't in any state to make a decision like the one he was about to make, but he didn't care.  
He wanted this.  
Again he nodded, more determined this time.

"And you're alright with it?"

For someone who was known to be a notorious virgin-killer, Neji wasn't uncaring or insensitive, that much was obvious. Yet at the same time, he was possessive and determined.  
In response, the red pressed as close to the Hyuuga as he could, bringing their lips together in a starved kiss, moaning into Neji's mouth as their tongues met. His hands slid down the other's body, gripping a hold of his shirt, pulling it upwards, and over the Hyuuga's head, revealing perfect, rippled abs and a muscular frame.

Gaara heart pounded hard in his chest, and his pulse was racing.  
He forced himself not to think about how Neji's words corresponded with Naruto's warnings. He pushed all thoughts of it to the back of his head, refusing to wonder how many people had been in this bed like this before him.  
It didn't matter.

Neji's free hand wandered down Gaara's chest, unbuttoning the rest of his shirt, unraveling pale, ivory skin.  
His lips followed, tracing a path from Gaara's ear to his lips, drawing a line down his neck and towards his collarbone.  
Kisses and scarce bites scattered over his chest. The hand continued to move, loosening his belt, unzipping his pants, and Gaara allowed it.  
In the back of his mind something was telling him that they were moving way too fast but he ignored it. He allowed Neji's free hand to clasp around his wrist and hold him still on the bed.  
The other hand had stopped roaming, it had gripped a hold of the waistband of his pants.

Neji watched Gaara through half-lidded eyes while his free hand tugged the red's pants down with determination.  
He offered his lips, pulling the younger into a kiss that made it all but clear what they both wanted. He hissed against Gaara's pale lips, nipped slightly at it with his teeth and then let go.  
Something like a protest sounded from the boy. Neji smirked, resuming his trail down towards his navel. The boy's skin tasted salty from sweat, goosebumps spreading in response to the trail of kisses.  
Pale orbs kept an interested eye on Gaara's face, seeing how his expression changed to one of surprise and excitement as Neji's tongue swirled over his belly button and moved down across his hip, towards the waistband of Gaara's boxers.

The redhead shuddered lightly, gasping at the sensation of warm breath approaching his growing excitement. He was unsure of how to handle the situation, and tried gripping for Neji's hand, hair or _something_. But the other forced his hand back, mumbling against hot, flushed skin; "Relax."

The Hyuuga was still fairly calm, but Gaara sensed how excited he really was. He figured it must have been difficult for Neji to hold back his excitement in this situation.

His suspicions were confirmed as his boxers were pulled down as well, so quickly, Gaara hardly had time to react.

Vulnerability and embarrassment washed over him the moment he was exposed like this; completely naked with exception of the open shirt he was still wearing.  
Still, that did nothing to hide the erection he was sporting.

"N-" he started.  
"Ssh," Neji shushed him.  
"Relax," he said again, his grip on Gaara's wrist finally loosening.  
Slanted, green eyes tried to follow the Hyuuga's moves, but the angle rendered it difficult.

And just as it all built up inside of him, bringing together more shivers and warmth than ever, it stopped.

He peered his dark rimmed eyes open, regarding Neji curiously.  
The brunette had pulled away, and was looking back at him, licking his lips thoughtfully.

"Don't..." he mumbled hoarsely.  
Neji continued to stare, quizzically.  
"Don't stop..." the words sounded hollow. It was embarrassing.  
Though Neji seemed pleased at his words; a faint grin spreading on his lips.  
"Okay," he nodded, kissing the inside of Gaara's thigh gently, pushing his legs further apart, "I won't."

--

Neji leaned over him, catching his lips.  
Gaara tasted himself in the kiss, his chest tightening in excitement.  
Neji' chest lowered and rose against his own, his hardness pressing against Gaara's groin, making it painfully clear what he wanted.  
They rocked towards each other, sweet friction bringing moans to both of their lips.

The fabric of Neji' slacks felt rough against Gaara's want, and as his skeletal hands moved down to unbutton the Hyuuga's pants, his leg wrapped around Neji's, pulling at the pants to get them off of him. Somehow it worked, and he managed to tug them down to his knees at least.

"This might hurt a little," Neji whispered quietly, his lips brushing over Gaara's for each word he spoke.  
Gaara didn't reply.  
He snaked his arms around Neji's neck, clenching his eyes shut harder, trying to breathe normally.

* * *

After that Neji had stood from the bed, and walked away.  
Gaara remembered his heart sinking at that moment; realizing that everything he'd heard was true. He wanted to get up and leave as well, but couldn't.

And then Neji had returned, with a towel, handing it to him. Gaara must have smiled or at least looked relieved, because the Hyuuga had asked him why he looked so happy.  
"I..." he started, "...thought you left."  
Neji smiled at him, and leaned over to kiss him gently on the lips.

Now the Hyuuga was sleeping next to him, showing no sign of awakening.

Gaara didn't know what to do next. Should he wait for the other to wake? Should he get dressed and leave? Maybe Neji didn't appreciate people sticking around the next morning.  
In any case, he remained where he was, feeling sort of smothered by all the silence surrounding him.  
He rose to a sitting position, grimacing at the sharp pain that jabbed him in the lower back and his _ass_. And for the second time that morning, the whole evening before flashed through his head.

Darkly rimmed eyes shifted to look at his bedmate.  
Neji was sleeping peacefully on his stomach, his head turned to the side. Dark lashes were caressing his cheek, and his lips were parted slightly, just like right before a kiss.  
The thought had Gaara flushing a little again; he mentally scolded himself for thinking such stupid things.

He waited, studying Neji's sleeping face, hoping that the other would wake soon, so the awkward morning after thing could just be over already.  
In typical Neji-behavior, the Hyuuga read his mind. Choosing that moment to stir, and wake up.  
His pale eyes squinted at the red sitting up next to him.  
He yawned, "Gaara?"Then he seemed to catch up with himself, mumbling; "Oh, right..."

He sat up, yawning a second time, stretching. The duvet slipped down and revealed more of his body. Gaara had to force himself not to stare.  
Neji noticed though. He smirked, leaning closer to him.  
Soft lips touched to Gaara's forehead.

"Does it hurt?" Neji asked softly.  
"Uh..." Gaara stuttered, "A little...But I'll manage."  
Neji nodded, "You will. It's a little rough the first time, but it gets better."  
"I thought it was..." Gaara stopped himself, reddening again.

The elder smiled at him, standing from the bed. He was still naked, Gaara noted, turning away, as if it was any different now than yesterday. But then again, he didn't see much the night before...  
He was sure though, that the red scratches on Neji's back had not been there before.

"Does that hurt?" he asked quietly.  
Neji shook his head smiling, "Don't worry about it."  
The Hyuuga made his way over to the door leading to his own bathroom, "I'm taking a shower," he said, "You coming?"  
Gaara hesitated before shaking his head, "I'll just wait here."

When Neji returned, the red had gotten dressed and was patiently waiting for him, sitting on the bed.  
"You want breakfast?" Neji asked, tossing the towel he'd used for his hair away.  
"Sure," he stood, following the brunette downstairs to the kitchen.

Hinata's little sister, Hanabi was sitting at the table, a half eaten sandwich on the plate before her. Minutes later Hinata appeared too, brushing past them.  
"Where did I put my-" she stopped herself, glancing over at the two boys, pink spreading in her cheeks.  
"Morning," Neji said, completely unaffected.  
"Hanabi," Hinata said sharply, "Finish your breakfast."  
She nodded at the two of them and scurried back out into the living room.

Gaara shifted his weight from one foot to another.

"Maybe," he started "It's best if I head home now..."  
The Hyuuga looked back at him, "If that's what you want. Want me to drive you?"  
Gaara shook his head, "I can walk."

Walking would be the best; things were just too weird and awkward right now for him to catch a ride with the Hyuuga. He needed to clear his head.

"Don't be silly," Neji didn't listen, "I'll drive you. It's too far to walk."

The red opened his mouth, but couldn't make out the protest. He gave a nod, glancing over at Hanabi, who still hadn't made any effort to finish her sandwich.  
The pale-eyed girl looked curiously back at him. She stood, taking her plate over to the counter, dumping the sandwich in the bin, and then left the kitchen, turning to look at him one last time.  
She was probably used to strangers coming in with Neji, Gaara figured, again feeling misplaced.

"Let's go then?" Neji urged.  
Gaara bit his lip, hoping Naruto wasn't at home when he returned.  
"Yeah."

* * *

Naruto groaned, shifting on the bed, hitting his hand on the wall.  
It was the sound of a door slamming that had awoken him. The room was lighter now, and it was hot. He had been sleeping with his clothes on after all.  
The buzz of voices from the living room prevented him from burying his aching head in the pillow again. He sat up, listening curiously.

"How did it go?" he heard Iruka ask.  
There was a sigh, and then Kakashi's voice came;  
"It went well I guess... but he didn't say much. Poor kid."  
"Always playing strong, right?" Iruka sighed as well.

Naruto sprung from the bed, rushing into the living room.  
"How is he?!" he exclaimed, staring at the two teachers before him.  
"I thought you were sleeping?" Iruka mumbled.  
"I was." Naruto replied, turning to Kakashi, "How did it go? Is he okay?"

Kakashi brought his hand up to his face, rubbing his temple.  
"Sasuke is fine," he nodded, "But he's not happy about the situation. He thinks that it's enough to just take him off the medicines. Being put under observation like this is probably hurting his pride more than anything else."  
"When can we go see him?"  
"Naruto," Iruka tried.  
Kakashi interrupted him; "When the doctors allow it. For now, they want to observe him and evaluate his condition. I'm not allowed to see him either."  
"Then, they're cutting him off from the world?"  
"Only so he can relax and focus on why he's there. That's why they took his phone away from him."  
"They took his cell? That sounds stupid," Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, "It'll only make it worse."

"Maybe," Iruka said tentatively, "It's for the best. If he has no contact with those around him, he'll be able to focus on getting better."  
"But he's not sick," Naruto shook his head, "And he's just gonna be miserable."  
"At first, yes," Kakashi said honestly, "But he's going to be glad when it's all over. And so will you, I'm sure."

The blonde teen turned away.  
It was true that he'd probably feel even worse if he got to talk to Sasuke, knowing that he couldn't do anything for him. But he hated this feeling.  
He hated not being able to do a single thing, and being the last person to know.

"I'm going back to bed," he mumbled, glancing over at the clock on the wall.  
It was already three in the afternoon.

"You don't want dinner?"  
"No." he brushed Iruka off, heading back to his room.

* * *

Having slept for almost twenty four hours had done nothing to the exhaustion that had taken over Naruto's body, but he'd forced himself to get up, hoping to get some more details out of Kakashi. Much to his dismay, the teacher had already left when he woke up.

"Where did he go?" he demanded.

Iruka sat down next to him in the couch; "He had some business to take care of at School."  
Naruto sighed.  
"He'll be back in a few hours," the teacher continued, "But I don't think you'll get much more out of him. Sasuke was just admitted this morning, Kakashi doesn't know anything more than he's already told you, and it'll probably remain that way for at least a few days."  
Naruto sighed heavily.  
"You're still not hungry? There's some dinner left over, I could heat it-"  
"I think I'm gonna go home," Naruto interrupted him.

The teacher stared blankly at him.  
"Are you sure? You don't want to stay here for a few days? You don't think you'll be stressed with everyone around you all the time?"  
"You're worried," Naruto stated, frowning as he saw the worried face of Iruka, "Okay fine... But let me go home and get a change of clothes and some stuff."  
"Alright, I'll ready dinner for you then." Iruka smiled.  
"Thanks mother," Naruto's lip quirked.

* * *

Back at the Orphanage, everything seemed to be as usual. Chiyo barely had time to greet him when he came through the door; she was too busy trying to make the younger of the kids eat their vegetables.  
Not surprisingly, Neji was there too. In the living room.  
Naruto offered a nod, but nothing more, in the brunette's direction.

Gaara lifted his gaze from one of the books he was always plowing through, when Naruto came through the bedroom door.  
"Where have you been?" he asked.  
"Iruka's," Naruto replied, a little dismissively, pulling open one of the drawers in his dresser.  
"Neji's here."

The blonde wasn't sure why he'd said it, but was half-expecting some sort of reaction from the red.

"Neji's always here," Gaara said, shifting on the bed, coughing.  
"And why is that?"  
"Why?" Gaara sounded annoyed, "He's supposed to be here remember? Give the guy a break."  
Naruto sighed, wishing his best friend would stop defending that guy. "Sorry," he muttered, stuffing two pairs of socks into his duffel bag.

He turned, looking at Gaara, "You know, you look pretty alright today..."  
Gaara coughed again, burying his nose in the book, "Yeah. I slept pretty good the other day."  
"That's good," Naruto forced a smile.  
"You on the other hand..." Gaara said quietly, looking back at him, "You don't look so good. What's wrong?"

Naruto's chest stung.

"Nothing really..."  
"Yeah right," Gaara snorted, "There's never nothing with you. It's Sasuke, right?"  
"Why-"  
"Because it's always Sasuke. That's why."

Naruto sighed, clenching a cotton shirt hard in his grip.  
He didn't want Gaara to know. Still, he had to voice the words; "He's sick."

"What's he got? The flu?"  
Naruto's azure eyes dug into Gaara's emerald ones.  
"Drop it," he muttered.  
"Sorry," it was Gaara's turn to apologize, he put the book down, "You're leaving again?"  
"Yeah, Iruka wanted me to stay a while... And frankly I need some time alone right now," his voice fell to a tone ridden with guilt; "Not that you... I mean..."  
Gaara rolled his eyes, "You care too much about people, you know that right?"  
"Probably," Naruto agreed, zipping up his bag, "I'm off."

He threw a last glance at his friend, before changing his mind, coming over to the bed, hugging the red head tightly to his chest.  
"Naruto, what-" Gaara objected.  
"Be careful with that Neji, okay? You never know what he might do," Naruto warned, mumbling the words into Gaara's hair.

The other teen's hand fisted, tugging slightly at the back of Naruto's shirt. He swallowed.  
It was too late for warnings.

"There you go again," he muttered, pulling out of the blonde's grip, "I'll be fine. And you?"  
Naruto nodded bravely, trying to swallow the chaos of emotions that had ledged inside his throat.

"Give my regards to Uchiha then," was the last thing Gaara said to him as Naruto headed for the stairs.  
The fox didn't answer.

_"I would if I could."_

* * *

Over the course of the next week, Naruto's feelings towards the current situation had spanned over a wide specter of emotions.  
The despair and sadness that had taken a hold of him at first had gradually changed into anger.  
He was sick of being depressed.  
And he was pissed off at everything that made him feel this way; including Sasuke.

He knew that Sasuke couldn't help it, but the bastard could have told him something in advance before just disappearing to a hospital! He could have confided in him more.  
He could have trusted him!

In reality, his anger probably came from the sadness too, evolving from the hurt.  
It was just that Naruto didn't see things that way right now.

During the whole week he'd only been back home a few times. He didn't want to bother with the kids, or with seeing Neji every single day.  
It annoyed him that the Hyuuga was there. It bothered him that Gaara still seemed to ignore his warnings. And still, he was just too listless to do anything about it.

Iruka and Kakashi had been fussing around him all week; moving furniture, making room for Kakashi's stuff and trying to get him to help them. Anything to get him out of his room it seemed.  
But as long as he knew nothing, and didn't _get_ to know anything, Naruto didn't care.  
He wanted to sleep, just so he could forget.

It was so unlike him, and it obviously upset Iruka.

For that specific reason, Kakashi had forced him out of bed this morning when the blonde teen's phone had rung.  
It was Sakura, wondering if he wanted to come to the park and hang out with them. His initial thought was to refuse, but the silver-haired teacher practically threw him out the door.  
"You need to get out a little," he demanded, "You're driving Iruka nuts, and it's not like anyone's gonna call just because you sit around sulking all day. Now go have fun."

And then the bastard had locked the door.  
He'd _locked him out._

Naruto turned to the locked door, scowling. Lifting his fist, he pounded at it three times;  
"I know what you're gonna do!" he yelled, "You could've just said so!"  
Naruto sneered, stuffing his hands in his pockets, heading towards the park, whilst kicking a rock down the sidewalk.

As it turned out, the whole group was gathered at the park, over by the soccer field.  
"Naruto!" Sakura's voice tore him from his thoughts.  
He waved unenthusiastically at her, walking over to the group.

"What's wrong with you dude?" Kiba asked, punching him lightly in the shoulder.  
"Nothing," Naruto shook his head, forcing himself to straighten his back and smile, "I'm just a little tired, that's all."  
"Sasuke-kun's still away?" Ino appeared at his side.

Always Sasuke.  
The whole world revolved around the Uchiha, and it did not ease Naruto's troubled mind one bit.  
_"Have fun, my ass._" the annoyed fox thought to himself, cursing Kakashi, _"Perv._"

He nodded.

"Have you heard from him?" Sakura urged.  
"No," Naruto replied.  
"And you don't know when he'll be back?"  
"In a couple of weeks I guess," Naruto shrugged, "I don't know."  
"I hope he's back before school starts..." Ino sighed, plopping down on a bench.

"Ah, there they are," it was Shino's voice, he was pointing at a crowd of children coming towards them.  
"Hm?" Naruto looked up.  
"H-Hanabi's soccer team," Hinata stuttered, "They're playing a match today. That's why w-we're all here."  
The blonde kept his eyes on the kids, nodding.

"Wait," Sakura's eyes widened, "Gai-sensei trains the junior teams, right?"  
Hinata nodded.  
"That means..." the girl frowned.

"Sakura-chan!"

The group turned to see Lee jogging vigorously towards them.  
Naruto had to stifle a chuckle. As pissed off as he might be, Lee chasing after Sakura was at least entertaining.

"You look dazzling!" the hyperactive boy announced.  
Sakura frowned again, but Naruto couldn't help but notice the slight pink that was creeping up in her cheeks.  
Lee beamed towards her.  
"It's so wonderful to see you all here to support the team!" he continued, grinning, "They're really excited!"  
Hinata smiled shyly, "That's all Hanabi has been talking about lately."  
"Isn't it?!" Lee guffawed, "And with good reason! She's really good that girl!"

Moments later, the noisy boy was called over by Gai to help with the warm-up exercises.  
Suddenly the spectator site seemed very bland.

"I can't believe we came here to watch a game of kiddy-soccer," Shikamaru sighed, laying back on one of the benches.  
"Have you never heard of supporting others?" Ino snarled at him, "Besides, I think they're adorable."

While the two of them bickered amongst themselves, Kiba plopped down next to Naruto.  
"Where's your friend?" he asked curiously, eyeing the Hyuuga girl sitting in front of them on the lawn, watching the kids as they were warming up on the field.

The other team had arrived as well; kids from Kirigakure, dressed in black soccer uniforms.  
They must've been feeling really hot, Naruto thought.  
He bit his lip.

"Gaara?" he asked, looking back at Kiba, "I guess he's back home. I haven't been around much lately, so I don't really know what he's up to."  
"You remember Gaara, right?" Kiba placed his hand on Hinata's shoulder, grinning in a way that was anything but subtle.  
Naruto frowned.  
"Yes," she nodded, flushing a little, "He came over to our house the other day..."  
"He did?!" Kiba exclaimed, "Really?!"  
Naruto looked over at the girl in disbelief.  
"Gaara did?" he said, sounding surprised. A knot tied itself inside of him.  
She nodded, waving to her sister.  
"I'll be back," she excused herself, "I think Hanabi wants something."

Naruto watched her walk across the field, increasingly uncertain. Gaara wasn't the type to just go over to people's houses, especially not people he hardly knew.  
Gaara didn't _like _people.  
And Naruto was too unbalanced to worry at the moment. Even if his gut told him he should.

Hanabi's team won the match.

To celebrate, Gai decided to take the whole team - and their teenage supporters out to eat. While the others gladly accepted, Naruto turned the offer down, claiming there was something he had to do. His friends tried to talk him into changing his mind, but gave up once it was clear that he wouldn't.

"I'll see you guys later," Naruto smiled, walking off.

He could feel their eyes in his back, but refused to turn around. Maybe it was selfish, he thought, that he didn't let them know anything. But then again, that was probably what Sasuke wanted; Sasuke was selfish after all. He was selfish not to tell anyone, not even Naruto until the last minute, and then he just disappeared, with no means for Naruto to contact him by.  
That probably wasn't intentionally on the Uchiha's part, but still. Naruto clenched his fists at his side.

He walked without purpose, down street after street, lost in his own thoughts, until he found himself on the other side of town. He never came here.  
And part of the reason to why was standing across the street from him.

"Uzumaki!"

Naruto turned around stiffly. Not only had he wound up on his side of the city, but also on Sai's street.  
He frowned, glaring at the raven who was now striding across the street towards him.  
Plastered on Sai's face was one of his signature smiles.

"What do you want?" Naruto muttered, wanting to get away from there.  
"You're the one who's on my street," Sai smirked, "I thought you might have come here to see me."  
Naruto snorted, "Why would I come here to see you? Why would _anyone _want to see you?"  
"Tch," Sai huffed, "Nevermind then."  
His dark eyes gleamed, "Hey, I heard Uchiha finally snapped?"

Chills went down Naruto's back.

"What?" he hissed.  
"He's committed, isn't he?"  
"H-How do you know?" Naruto croaked, trying to sound stoic.  
"The world has eyes and ears everywhere," Sai winked at him, "I take it the others don't know? You don't think they should?"  
"Fuck you," Naruto hissed.  
"What, they're his friends, aren't they? Don't you think they deserve to know?"  
"Why should I listen to you?" the fox snapped, "You don't know shit about Sasuke."  
"And you do?" Sai cocked his head to the side, "He didn't tell you, did he?"

The blonde took one surprised step back.  
How could Sai know?

The raven sneered.  
"So he didn't. Heh, some relationship the two of you have."

Naruto grit his teeth, glaring daggers at the other teen.

"Shut up," he ground out hoarsely, grabbing Sai by the collar, "What the hell do you know, huh?!"  
"Clearly I know more than you give me credit for."

Naruto's grip on Sai's collar tightened. An intense urge to punch the raven in the face rose inside him. It didn't matter if Sai was just assuming. Naruto was not in the mood for his bullshit today anyway.  
It was a man's voice that stopped him from actually punching Sai in the nose.

A man had opened a window in the second floor, and was looking out at them.  
He shouted again, more angrily this time; "Sai! Get in here!"

Naruto didn't let go. He glared at the raven haired teen in his grip.

"Sai!" the man yelled again, "NOW!"  
Obviously the man didn't think Sai reacted quickly enough, because he yelled down at them again;  
"Did you hear me?! Sai! I don't want you hanging around scum like the Uzumakis!"

A knot tied in Naruto's chest, his eyebrow twitching.  
Naturally Sai's father, if that indeed was who this man was, hated him too, just like everyone else.  
No wonder his son was such an asshole.

The smile on Sai's face was almost apologetic.  
"We'll finish this later," he said, tearing himself from Naruto's grip.  
"You'd better hope that we don't," the Uzumaki growled, pushing the other back.

"What the hell are you dawdling for!? Get in this house right now!"  
Sai looked up towards the window, nodding just as it slammed shut.  
"See you around, Uzumaki," he mumbled sourly.

Naruto didn't bother watching him get into the house. He turned on his heel, starting to walk in the opposite direction.  
His hands found his pockets, one of them clutching something hard and metallic.

Sasuke's key.

* * *

"How ya holdin' up?" a boy with semi-long white hair dropped down on the couch next to Sasuke.  
It was the same boy he'd seen on his first day back here, and the same guy who had been hanging around him ever since then, and even before that, back when Sasuke had been living here.  
Most people assumed they were friends, something that irritated the Uchiha. If anything, this guy was an acquaintance who was nice to have around now and again. Most of the time he was just annoying though, and too familiar with him - almost clingy.

Sasuke didn't answer.  
It didn't seem to bother the other teen though.  
"Man, you should've gone with us! It was great to get away from this place for a little while!" the boy chewed on his already stubbed nail, "Or...You're not allowed outside, are you?"  
He poked Sasuke in the ribs.  
"Being under supervision must really suck."

Sasuke sighed with annoyance.  
The two days where Suigetsu had gone away with some others and a few doctors to a hot spring had been like paradise to him.  
With the other not hanging around him constantly, he had welcomed the silence that came with his absence. And at the same time he had hated it.

Silence meant room for thought, and that never brought anything positive.  
Nevertheless, he wished he could escape his 'friend' for a little longer at least. Or that someone would realize that he didn't need to be under supervision all day any more now that the Xanax was out of his system. Preferably he'd get his phone back as well.  
But that didn't seem like it would happen anytime soon.

He was still unable to forget how Naruto had looked on that morning, when he'd left. And he couldn't help but wonder if the teachers were busting his humps about the kiss.  
A slight smile crossed his face.

"What are you smiling about?" Suigetsu nudged him in the side, "It's almost as if you're human."  
Sasuke didn't reply. He stood, heading out of the common room.  
"I have a session," he said, giving half a wave.  
"See ya," Suigetsu stared after him, smirking slightly.

* * *

Sasuke glared at his therapist.  
"When will I get my phone back?"  
The woman in front of him corrected her glasses, frowning at him.  
"When we can establish that any emotional unbalance you experience has nothing to do with the change in medication."  
Sasuke sighed, glaring out the window, at the yellowing leaves of the tree outside.  
"Tell me, why are you so insistent on this matter?" the woman asked him, leaning forward, still clasping her clipboard.

The Uchiha shifted in his chair, even if he told her it wasn't like she'd let him have it. He'd tried that approach before.  
This woman was nothing like Anko at all. Her way of dealing with him was anything but brash and untraditional. This woman was one of those 'how does that make you feel' people.  
She was fresh out of college, and seemed to think that he was made out of porcelain.

"Sasuke," she reached over, placing her hand gently on his knee.  
He scowled down at it.  
"Who is it you want to talk to, Sasuke?" she asked, moving her hand slightly, peering curiously at him through silver-rimmed glasses.  
"None of your business," he ground out, pushing her hand away, "It's not like it matters to you people anyway. You just want to drug me and send me on my way again."  
"Is that what you think?" the therapist chanted.  
"That's what you did the last time," Sasuke replied coolly.  
"How d-"  
"If you're about to ask me how that makes me feel I'm gonna fucking go nuts!" he hissed, glaring at her.

The woman looked straight back at him, before lowering her head, making notes on her clipboard; _"Agressive,"_ she wrote.

"Are we done here?" the glaring teen opposite her demanded.  
"We still have five more minutes, won't you spend them more wisely?"  
Sasuke snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. If he was gonna talk to anyone, it would be to the person who knew what he'd been through. And he was prevented from doing so.  
"Very well," the woman concurred, putting aside the clipboard, "We can stare at each other for five minutes then, if that's what you want."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, but remained seated. There was a light pounding in the back of his head.  
He knew it well.

When he stood up, a dizzy spree hit him, and let go just as easily.  
He closed his eyes tightly, taking a deep breath. Having been on the medicine for so long, Sasuke had forgotten all about how Seroquel made him feel the first few weeks.  
Including the disturbing thoughts that shot through his head whenever he was alone.  
But it was a hell of a lot better than being on Xanax, so he'd cope.

"Are you alright?" the woman asked sternly.  
Sasuke glared at her, stuffing his hands in his pockets.  
"You know, there are other medicines that-"  
"I know," he cut her off, striding through the door.

He'd overheard some of the doctors talking earlier; they'd talked about trying some other medicines for him, even though the Seroquel worked fine. But there was a certain risk involved in taking it, and they apparently wanted him to try something a little milder. Prozac, among other things had been mentioned.  
He'd stopped listening at that point. Prozac was such a cliché.  
He didn't need it anyway. He just needed to go back home, and finally live a normal life, away from doctors and therapists and medicines.

Without realizing it, he'd stopped in the middle of the corridor.  
His therapist was already far ahead of him, heading upstairs.  
His headache was getting worse. And he needed sleep.

The only way to get enough sleep around here though, with the constant supervision, was for him to stay awake for long enough periods of time to make him utterly exhausted.  
That way he could sleep undisturbed for hours. Hours that were free of everything he loathed.

* * *

Wind caressed Naruto's whiskered cheeks, pinching carefully at them. For some reason the air was crisp, almost sharp in a way.  
He huffed, pulling the sweater he wore tighter around himself.  
Albeit being a bit worn out, it provided warmth.  
Warmth, - and a sense of familiarity and security. The soft cotton brushed lightly against the bare skin of Naruto's arms when he walked, swinging them back and forth, as if someone was caressing his arms as well.  
Naruto buried his nose in the soft fabric, breathing in a scent that was unmistakably Sasuke's.

He wrapped his arms tighter around himself, turning the corner at the grocery store.  
He'd promised Konohamaru to buy him a candy bar after it turned out that the one Naruto had used for Sasuke's cake had belonged to him, and partially because the boy had been nagging him about not being around lately.

Naruto had wanted to take Gaara along with him, but the red had been nowhere to be seen.  
When asking Chiyo about it, the old lady had replied that Gaara was at his siblings' house.

His quick paced steps came to a stop when he spotted Sai.  
The other boy was stuffing a grocery bag into the back of a car.

Why was it that Naruto ran into this jerk everywhere lately?

He wanted to turn and walk away. But at the same time, his pride told him not to let Sai think he was afraid of him. And the other teen had already spotted him.  
Sighing, Naruto resigned, walking across the parking lot, with the intent of brushing past Sai, ignoring him completely.

"Dickless!"

Too late.  
Naruto turned around, gritting his teeth in annoyance.

"Nice sweater," Sai commented, flashing a grin, "Why don't you just wear a sign saying _Property of Uchiha Sasuke_ while you're at it?"  
Naruto turned a deaf ear.  
"How is he?" Sai asked, smirking.

The bastard.  
Of course he knew that there was no way Naruto would know that.

"You haven't talked to him?" the other gasped, still smirking.  
Naruto balled up his fist at his side.  
"Listen, asshole-" he started.

It was the ringing of a cellphone that interrupted him.  
As if on cue, Sai's expression changed at the sound of the phone.  
With a look in his eyes that was very different from the sinister glare he'd just had, he pressed the phone to his ear.

"Yeah?" he said, sounding different as well.  
"At school...Yeah I have the car," he answered whoever was on the other end, he sounded annoyed now, "Yeah of course I wouldn't leave it with you! You're in no state to be driving!"

Naruto's gaze shifted, studying Sai.  
Briefly he wondered why he was still standing here like this.  
He never reached an answer.

Even from where he was standing; several feet away, he could tell that the person Sai was talking to was aggravated.  
That he was yelling.

The tip of Sai's shoe was drawing circles in the gravel on the ground.  
A sign of insecurity.  
But his voice was harsh and angry; "No. I'm going. I have a right to go, and you can't stop me! No. You can't. And even if you could, you'd be unable to."  
He clenched his fist.  
The yelling on the other end intensified.

Sai stared down at the ground, like he'd forgotten all about Naruto being there at all.  
He wasn't the same person he'd been only minutes before, that much was clear.  
His voice was meeker now, but just as angry.

"Yes," he muttered, "Yes. Yes, Yes. I know."  
Then something flashed in his dark eyes.  
"That has nothing to do with him!" he almost yelled into the phone, "I'll be back tonight! Bye."  
Without waiting for a response, he hung up the phone.

Naruto said nothing.  
He didn't know what to make of what he had just seen.  
Sai looked back at him.  
His eyes were ice cold.  
"What?" he asked gruffly.

Naruto shook his head.  
Sai turned his back to the blonde, shutting the back door.

"You know..." he started, still not turning around, "Sasuke's gonna be okay."

Naruto's heart skipped a beat.  
He felt his own fingernails digging into his palm as he asked; "How do you know?"

Sai didn't reply.

"Why do you even care?" Naruto demanded, muttering.  
"I just know okay?" Sai replied, annoyed.

There was something about the look in his eyes though, something that made Naruto want to believe him.

"Get in the car," Sai ordered, opening the door to the passenger seat.  
Naruto just stared at him, dumbfounded.  
Like hell he'd get into a car with someone he couldn't stand.

"Don't you want to see for yourself?" Sai coaxed.  
"See what?" Naruto replied dryly, expecting a lame-ass joke or insult.  
"That he's okay," Sai replied, his expression serious, not cracking for as much as a split second.

It was absurd to think that Sai would ever do anything for anyone, especially Naruto.  
No one would ever listen to him, much less believe him and go with him.  
And yet, Naruto found himself to be walking towards Sai's car.

Sasuke's scent caught his nose from the sweater as another gust of wind came over them.

"How?" he asked, placing his hand on the car door.  
"I'll take you to him," Sai replied calmly, without seeming sarcastic or spiteful. Without seeming like himself actually.

Naruto stared at him, searching for words. He didn't know whether to believe Sai or not, he didn't know if it was wise, but he did _want_ to believe the other.

"Why?" he asked, unable to say anything else.  
"I know someone there," Sai replied, looking away, "So I know how it feels."  
His words were uncertain, as if being nice for a change really was new to him.  
"Who?" Naruto asked, his mouth felt dry.  
They had something in common. Unless Sai was lying.  
But it seemed unreal.  
Sai licked his lips.

"My brother," Sai's voice was low.

* * *

TBC

The scene with Neji and Gara has been cut and edited for obvious reasons, so if it feels or looks a little weird adn incoherent...that's why.. but the uncut version can be read over on AFF.


	13. Kugatsu Part 2

**Author's note: **

I'm sorry for the delay (again), but I've been crazy busy (again) and it's left me EXHAUSTED, with no strenght to upload anything.  
Forgive me xD  
Moreover, this will be the last YotF update in a long time, because I have yet to start writing chapter 14, even though I've had months to do so.. But it's a really difficult chapter.  
Initially YotF was gonna last over the months January - December. This chapter marks the middle/last part of August, but I still don't know when this story will finish.

Please enjoy this chapter and wait patiently for my return! :3

**Warnings:** Fluff, wangst, yaoi

* * *

**13. Kugatsu  
part 2:**

Naruto peeked over at the raven haired boy at his side.  
Sai hadn't said a word since they drove out of Konoha, and what little he _had _said didn't make Naruto any wiser.  
The brother he had mentioned wasn't brought up any more either. Naruto refrained from asking about him. He was curious, but at the same time his head was filled with thoughts.  
He wondered why Sai wanted to help all of a sudden; why he had offered to take him to Sasuke. It bothered him.  
Sai acting nice made him feel like the world was going to end or something.

The raven had spent the past few years trying to make Naruto's life a living hell, so why would he change his mind like this? And how did he know about him and Sasuke?  
Did he know at all? He could just be assuming. That or it was just another of his sarcastic remarks.  
Or did he know? If he did, then how?

The blonde teen sighed, resting his elbow against the car door.  
Sai turned his head, looking at him expressionlessly.  
Naruto returned his gaze for a moment, then looked back out the window, quietly regarding the landscape.  
They'd been driving for over an hour, uncomfortable silence ruling in the car.

The only real break they'd had from the stuffy hot air and quiet of the car had been when they had dropped by a fast food restaurant a while back. Naruto'd been too tense to be hungry, but Sai had picked up a hamburger with fries and slush, though not for himself it seemed.

"Almost there," Sai's voice cut through the silence.  
"Huh?" Naruto snapped out of his thoughts.  
The other didn't bother repeating the statement.

Naruto spotted a yellow sign in the window as they passed it; "Otogakure, 15.5km."  
They didn't continue straight ahead though; Sai took to the left at the next exit, and after another twenty minutes or so, they drove up the graveled path to the gates of the hospital.

Naruto didn't say anything, his eyes remaining fixated on the gates as they opened before the car, letting them in. A sign to his left told him the name of the hospital, but he didn't focus enough to read it. He could feel the nerves awakening in him, without making any effort to acknowledge them.

What would Sasuke say?

Something told him that the Uchiha wouldn't be thrilled at the thought of someone seeing him in a place like this. Even if it was him.  
Or maybe, _especially _because it was him.  
Sasuke probably didn't feel on top of the world right now, and Naruto himself knew that had he been in Sasuke's stead then he wouldn't want anyone to see him either.  
Yet, here he was. And there was no turning back now.  
He wanted to see Sasuke. To talk to him. Just to get to know how he was doing.

"That's the main building," Sai said, turning into the parking lot.  
Naruto nodded.  
His fists clenched in his lap.

The car came to a stop, the engine shutting down. Sai reached for the paper bag, the scent of junk food once again filling the car.  
"What are you waiting for," he asked, sounding a little annoyed, "Get out."  
Naruto fumbled with his seatbelt, a low 'click' finally sounding, freeing him from the belt.

Gravel crunched underneath his shoes as he made his way up towards the main building.  
Sai was keeping a steady pace, walking a few feet ahead of him. The other teen seemed well accustomed to the scenery, and not nervous at all.  
Naruto watched his back, chewing on his lip.  
He wanted to ask Sai about his brother. And he wondered what they'd do when they reached the main building. Something told him he probably wouldn't be allowed to see Sasuke.  
Why would he, when Sasuke wasn't allowed to have any contact with the world outside?  
And what if he _was _allowed to see him? What would he say? And what would the Uchiha think about him coming here with Sai?

He looked around.

It didn't look like a mental hospital at all. Not that he'd expected crazies to be running around... But he hadn't thought it would be this normal either. Everything was peaceful and quiet, without having that typical sterile, lonely feel of a regular hospital. More than anything else, it felt like some sort of boarding school.

Maybe Sasuke had felt the same way, which was why he'd called it a school?

Naruto shrugged to himself, increasing his pace, to catch up with Sai as they reached the main entrance.

Two grand doors opened before them, letting them into a tiled hall with several chairs standing around, brochures sitting in little shelves on the walls and plants decorating the otherwise naked rooms. Large staircases were located at both sides of the reception desk Sai was heading for.

A slightly obese woman with round glasses looked up from the computer in front of her, smiling at Sai. She reached for the pen behind her ear, scribbling something on a notepad laying on the desk.  
"You're back again," the woman stated, as if that wasn't obvious.  
Sai didn't reply, but offered a nod.  
"He's out back," she said, continuing to scribble, "And he'll be thrilled to see that you brought him food."  
A soft giggle escaped from her lips, "He's always complaining about the food here, you know."  
Sai still didn't say anything.

Naruto looked around the hall, nervously fidgeting with a loose thread in Sasuke's sweater.  
Suddenly he felt stupid for wearing it.

"And you?" the woman at the desk peered at him, "Are you with Sai?"  
He winced slightly at the statement; not wanting to have anything to do with the other teen.  
Naruto shook his head, opening and closing his mouth multiple times before finally pulling himself together enough to mention Sasuke's name.

"Uchiha Sasuke," he said, "I'm here to see Sasuke..."  
He caught Sai's eye, and looked away.  
It didn't matter what impression Sai had, not really. But even so, Naruto didn't like the thought of Sai having an opinion on him and Sasuke. He didn't want to deal with his smug attitude when he found out he was right.

"Sorry," the receptionist said, "Sasuke's not allowed to see anyone yet."  
"But," Naruto protested, "I only need to talk to him for a few minutes. I won't stress him or anything."

He knew that was a lie.  
With all the frustration he'd been penting up over how Sasuke hadn't told him anything, and how he'd felt the past few weeks, chances were he'd get agitated when coming face to face with the Uchiha. And knowing Sasuke, the raven wouldn't be much different. He'd probably be furious to see Naruto here.

So why had he gone in the first place?  
Naruto's shoulders sank.  
Because he couldn't bear _not _to.  
He just had to try.

"Sorry," the woman said again, "I can't allow it."  
"Then," Sai said before Naruto had time to think of an answer, "He's with me. No harm in that, right?"  
Thoughtfully, the receptionist shook her head. "I can't say that it is, no..." she admitted, hesitantly.  
"Thanks," Sai smiled at her, taking the 'visitor' badges she was reaching towards him. Then turned on his heel, leading a confused Naruto towards the exit.

Naruto wasn't sure if he'd assumed that Sai would leave him to himself if he wasn't allowed to see Sasuke, but in any case, it surprised him that the raven was willing to let him tag along.  
Still, it felt more than a little uncomfortable to follow him back through the hall and out to the backside of the building.

The whole place seemed to be shrouded in false security, Naruto noted, walking next to Sai across the lawn on the back side  
of the main building.  
He could see some kids and teens playing basket ball on the court on the other side of the lawn; their laughter and screams mixing with the birds singing in the trees around them, and the sound of wind chimes coming from a window somewhere.

He wondered if the people who stayed here felt secure, if they liked it here.  
It seemed so artificial in the way, but still so peaceful, so quiet.  
He thought that perhaps this sense of security was just what some people needed. Being shielded from the real world might not be so bad after all.

The wind chimes sounded again.

The blonde teen looked around, trying to establish where the sound came from. The melancholic melody reminded him of something; a flash of long red hair and the scent of mild perfume coming to mind.  
His mother had loved wind chimes. He was sure of it. He could vaguely remember one hanging in the window of his room when he was a kid and still living with his father.

Sai had started heading for the group of benches and tables on the other side of the lawn.  
It seemed fairly abandoned apart from a boy sitting at the farthest bench.  
A faint smile crossed Sai's face, his hand gripping tighter around the paper bag.  
As they approached, Naruto noticed how the white haired boy on the bench lit up at the sight of them, springing to his feet and waving.

"Sai!" the boy grinned, throwing his arms around the raven's neck as soon as he came close enough.  
"Get off," Sai muttered, trying to shake off the other.  
The boy was still grinning, snatching the paper bag from Sai.  
"So," he said, plopping back down on the bench, "What did you bring me?"  
"Your fave as always," Sai started, "Burger, fries, nuggets and the largest apple and strawberry slush I could find."  
"Just as I expected from you," the white haired boy reached out to ruffle Sai's hair, "little brother."  
Sai dodged gracefully, glaring at him.  
"So, that's your brother?" Naruto finally spoke.  
"Yeah, Suigetsu."

Suigetsu looked up, speaking through a mouthful of fries; "Who's this guy?"  
The blonde grinned at him, reaching out his hand.  
"Sorry, I'm Naruto."  
"Naruto...?" Suigetsu swallowed thoughtfully, his eyes darting over towards his brother; "Uzumaki Naruto?"  
"That's the one," Sai said dryly.

Naruto felt the embarrassment creep up, his neck flushing.  
Even this guy knew? What had Sai been saying about him?  
A dark shadow flashed over Suigetsu's face, but only briefly, seconds later he was smiling again; his snaggletooth showing.

"So," he said, patting the wood on the bench next to himself, "What are you doing here? It's not exactly customary for Sai to bring people when he visits."  
Naruto dropped down on the bench.  
"I'm here to see someone."  
"Mm?" Suigetsu swallowed, looking curiously at the blonde teen.  
"Uchiha," Sai said, unable to hold back his smirk.  
"Uchiha?" Suigetsu repeated, his lips curving upwards.

Naruto looked from Sai to Suigetsu; albeit being brothers, they didn't look much alike, but seeing them both smirking the way they did removed all doubts of them being related.

Suigetsu tilted his head slightly, "So, you're his..?"  
Teasingly the white haired boy lifted his pinky, wiggling it.  
"Friend," Naruto said quickly, "We're friends!"  
"Sure, " Sai snorted, earning a glare from the blonde. He turned his attention to his brother; "Say, you don't know where to find him do you?"  
Suigetsu grinned, "The missus at the desk wasn't helpful was she?"  
"He's not allowed to have visitors," Naruto said.  
Suigetsu slurped up the last of his slush.  
"Don't worry," he said, "I'll help ya out."

Putting down the empty cup, he looked over towards the soccer field.  
"Hey!" he called out, "Guys!"

A girl and a tall, muscular man with spiked hair, turned around and looked at them.  
The girl stood up first, beginning to walk towards them.  
As she came closer, Naruto noticed that her hair was cut short only on the left side. On the right side her hair reached down to her chest. He tried not to stare, but the shorter side was chapped and messy, like she'd cut it herself.

The guy had made it over as well. Naruto guessed he was about 20, maybe 21.

"What do you want?" the girl demanded. She sounded annoyed.  
"Sasuke," Suigetsu said, slapping her hand away from his chicken nuggets, "Have you seen him today?"  
The girl looked away, as if embarrassed.  
"Karin was chasing him around this morning," the tall guy said, "So he went underground."  
"Meaning?" Naruto asked carefully.  
"He's in his room," replied the other gruffly.  
"Well, there's something new," Suigetsu was still smirking, "Not that he's allowed to go anywhere."  
"He's not?" Naruto heard himself asking.

There was no response. The girl, who Naruto assumed was Karin had already started walking away from them. The guy remained.

"That's all?" he asked.  
"That's all." Suigetsu shrugged.  
The big guy grabbed the last of the fries and turned, sparing Sai half a glance and ignoring Naruto completely.

"Freaks," Suigetsu muttered under his breath, watching them walk off.  
The tone was awfully familiar.

Naruto stared at the teen, wondering if he was judgmental or if that was just how they spoke to each other here. Suigetsu shouldn't be the one to throw rocks, when he was locked up here himself.

"Juugo and Karin," Suigetsu said, pointing after them, "They're both nuts."  
"So are you," Sai remarked.  
"Yeah, not like that though," Suigetsu said, running a hand through white hair, "She's just a pissed off bitch with an attitude problem. You'd think that someone with self-esteem as low as hers, and who hurts herself would act a little nicer around people."  
"And Juugo?" Sai seemed amused.  
Naruto wondered if he'd met these people before. He probably had, if he visited frequently.  
Suigetsu snorted.  
"Yeah him, even for a schizo I think he's got too much of a temper."

Naruto regarded him as he spoke. Suigetsu's words were so hard, but he didn't seem like he was being spiteful. Not like the way Sai was.  
They were probably friends. His own group talked amongst themselves like that.  
Maybe it was the same, even if Karin was suicidal and Juugo was a schizophrenic.

"What about you," he heard himself saying, "What are you in for?"  
"Me?" Suigetsu pointed to himself, "Manic Depression."  
He grinned.

_"He doesn't seem very depressed..."_ Naruto thought to himself.

_  
_"He's heavily medicated." Sai said dryly.  
"Very." Suigetsu nodded. Then he stood, throwing the paper bag and trash into the bin next to them.  
"Come on," he said, "I'll take you to Sasuke."  
"You can do that?" the hope in Naruto's voice was badly hidden.  
"I really shouldn't, but I _can_," Suigetsu laughed, "It's not like he's in the closed ward anymore. We're on the same floor, so no one will mind that we're up there."

Naruto's hands fisted in his pockets. He had no idea what he was gonna say to Sasuke. But it didn't matter. Silently, he followed Sai and his brother inside the building and up the stairs.

* * *

The door before him was the scariest thing in the world at that moment.  
Here he was, without any real purpose, with a guy he couldn't stand, ready to surprise Sasuke, who hated surprises. He was crazy.  
Naruto smiled slightly, trying to calm himself.  
He probably wouldn't get much time with Sasuke, and there was absolutely no time to be planning what to say or do once he met him. He should just go ahead and do it, and yet he was reluctant. This had been a bad idea from the start, fueled by his impulsive mind.

"Are you gonna knock or what?" Suigetsu crossed his arms over his chest.  
Sai snickered under his breath.  
"There's a reason I call him dickless."  
Naruto glared, "Shut up Sai."

He swallowed, and knocked.

It was silent.  
He knocked again, without any response.

"Maybe he went out?" Sai shrugged.  
"Where do you think he'd go?" Suigetsu rolled his eyes, "He's not exactly the adventurous type."  
"Try again," Sai urged, "Three's the charm, right?"

Biting down on his lip, Naruto knocked a third time, gently pushing the door open.  
"I'm coming, jeez! All this noise to check if I took my-"  
Sasuke's voice startled Naruto.  
And Sasuke himself seemed startled, as he came out of a door inside the room and froze, staring at the doorway.  
"Naruto?"

"Good luck," Suigetsu mumbled in the background, pulling the door shut.

Naruto grinned sheepishly.  
"Hi."

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Sasuke was still standing in the same spot, staring at him, eyes wide like saucers.  
"I thought I'd come visit..."  
"You thought you'd-" Sasuke ran a hand through his hair, "You idiot! You're not...I'm not supposed to...What..."

Naruto smiled. Sasuke seemed to have been thrown completely off balance, understandably enough.  
"I surprised him alright..." he mumbled.

Sasuke was still sort of gaping at him, in a way Naruto hadn't thought possible for the usually emotionless Uchiha.  
"Sasuke? Are you okay?"  
"I just...I can't believe you came here."  
"I couldn't reach you so...I wanted to see you," it sounded stupid. Stupid and whiny and clingy.  
"Can I sit down?" he asked, jerking his head at the bed.  
"Go ahead," Sasuke nodded, throwing aside some clothes that were scattered over the bed.  
Naruto sat down, Sasuke sitting next to him without saying a word.

The blonde looked around.  
"So," he said, realizing how flat and artificial it sounded, "This is where they keep you, eh?"  
"Yeah," Sasuke nodded again, "This is it."

Sasuke's room wasn't as bad as he'd imagined it to be; in addition to the bed, there was a small table, a desk, dresser and a chair. The floor was carpeted, and all corners and edges were rounded, Naruto noticed. To prevent patients from hurting themselves?  
But no padded walls. He smiled to himself, feeling stupid for even having thought that there would be padded walls in here.

"What are you smiling about, dobe?"  
"Nothing," Naruto pursed his lips, "_Bastard._"  
It felt good to say those words again.  
Sasuke smiled faintly.

They looked at each other.  
Why was this so awkward?

"So...uh..." Naruto started, being the icebreaker once again, "How are they treating you here?"  
"Same as always," Sasuke replied coolly.

Of course, what a stupid question. This wasn't Sasuke's first time here.

"And how's that?" the blonde continued to probe curiously, trying to take advantage of his own stupid question and turn it into an actual conversation.  
"They patronize me, boss me around and order me to take medication and go to my sessions, so I guess...I'm doing pretty good," Sasuke's lip quirked.  
Naruto was uncertain whether Sasuke meant to be sarcastic or not.  
"Are you feeling better?" he asked quietly.  
Sasuke bit down on his lip, leaning back against the wall.  
"All things considered..." he said, "Yeah."  
"Yeah?" Naruto lit up.  
"They've got me back on Seroquel," he explained, "So the side effects are gone...Well...those caused by the Xanax anyway."  
He smiled bitterly.

Worry crept up in Naruto. That meant Sasuke still suffered from side effects. But how severe was it?  
Was he still seeing things?

"They're considering trying different meds," Sasuke continued, "But I don't know...I'd rather be without. Still, anything is better than that other crap they had me on."  
"Yeah," Naruto said again, nodding.  
He shifted on the bed, moistening his lips with his tongue before asking;  
"Do you know when you can come home?"  
"Depends," the Uchiha replied, "Maybe I'll get time off for good behavior?"  
The joke fell through somewhat, but brought Naruto's smile back nonetheless.  
"Unless they decide I'm a complete nutcase, I'll probably be back before school starts up again," Sasuke nodded to himself, "But I guess you can never be sure. If it was up to me..."  
He moved closer, placing his hand over Naruto's on the duvet.  
"I'd be out of here yesterday."

Naruto looked down on their hands.  
"I've been thinking a lot..." he said.  
"About?" Sasuke's voice was low.  
"You," Naruto said truthfully, "Me. Us...This whole thing..."  
Sasuke said nothing.  
"Why is it that you're not allowed to have contact with anyone?" Naruto blurted out, "How is that for the best?"  
"Not that you cared," Sasuke pointed out, smirking.  
"No, well...I probably wouldn't have come here if I could've called you or something," he admitted.  
"Why did you come here then?"  
"Because, I..." Naruto had to stop himself.

Why had he come here?  
It was obvious that he wanted to know how Sasuke was doing, that he wanted to hear from _him_ that he was fine. He'd missed him, that was true.

Still, it was Sai's initiative that had made him go in the first place.

"Did you miss me?"  
Naruto scowled.  
That smug tone! As always, the Uchiha acted far more superior than anyone gave him credit for. The way he smirked so confidently.  
It pissed Naruto off, just as much as it made him happy.  
A smug, cocky Sasuke was a normal Sasuke.

"Maybe," Naruto said, "A little."  
"That's okay," Sasuke continued, just as cocky, moving closer to Naruto on the bed.  
His lips ghosted over the blonde's ear; "I've missed you too."  
Chills ran down Naruto's spine. Automatically, his hand flew up to clutch at the back of Sasuke's shirt, as if wanting to make sure that he was real.

Sasuke allowed it.  
He returned the gesture, wrapping his arm around Naruto, gripping at the sweater he was wearing; Sasuke's own sweater.  
He pressed his forehead against Naruto's, pulled the other boy close, buried his nose in sun-kissed hair. At that moment he was certain he'd never felt more vulnerable in his entire life.

This desperation that welled up in him; the notion that this moment would be brief, that Naruto would go home without him. It was strong. Strong enough to make Sasuke think he couldn't take it. And more than enough to make him feel like a complete idiot for overdramatizing in this way, so he didn't say anything. Didn't want to bring Naruto down as well.  
He wanted to leave it at this; let Naruto believe that he was fine and that he'd come back home soon.  
But if there was something he'd learned about this place, it was that nothing was ever certain.

He didn't want to think about it.  
Right now, everything was fine. This was perfect.  
At least he wanted to think so.

Soft, blonde strands brushed against his lips.  
It tickled.  
Sasuke parted his lips, catching a few of the strands in-between them, tasting them briefly, before burying his nose in  
Naruto's hair again, inhaling the blonde's scent.  
"You smell nice..." he mumbled.  
"What?" there was laughter in Naruto's voice.  
Sasuke blinked.  
"Did I say that out loud?"  
Naruto nodded. "Mhm."  
The Uchiha pulled back, touching a hand to his forehead.  
"Crap."  
Naruto laughed.  
"This place has made you soft," he said.  
"You wish," Sasuke snorted.  
"I'm glad you're fine."¨  
"What about you? How are things?"  
"You know..." Naruto driveled, "Same as always..."  
It wasn't necessary for Sasuke to know that things had sucked. He didn't need to know how apathetic Naruto had been after he left.  
"Sakura and Ino keep asking about you... Kakashi's pretty much living with Iruka full time now... and summer school sucks."  
He forced a smile.  
"What have you told them?" Sasuke asked, his tone suggesting he was ashamed that he'd ended up here.  
"They think you're on vacation," Naruto replied, "Like you told me at first."  
Sasuke gave a wordless nod.  
He still hadn't let go of the blonde's hand.

"Does anyone know that you're here?"  
"No," Naruto shook his head, "You think I could just walk up to them and say 'hey, I'm gonna break into the hospital to see Sasuke'? Besides, Kakashi threw me out of the house. Said I had to get some fresh air."  
"About that," Sasuke looked at him, "How _did_ you get here?"  
"Heh," Naruto grew fidgety, letting go of Sasuke's hand, his own reaching up to rub his neck.  
"Sai took me."

Sasuke's brow furrowed.

"Sai?"  
"Yeah...He knew that you were here."  
"How the-"  
"His brother. Suigetsu."  
Sasuke stared blankly.  
"Sai's..." he started, cutting himself off.  
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, Suigetsu got me in. The lady at the reception wouldn't let me see you."

It didn't seem like Sasuke was interested in hearing about that.  
He was preoccupied with _how_ Naruto had gotten here.

"Since when's Sai a friend of yours?" he asked suspiciously.  
"He's not!" Naruto blurted, "I mean...We met in town and..."  
"He offered you a ride?" Sasuke's tone was different now.  
"Pretty much..."  
"And you just jumped in his car?" Sasuke glared at him, "Are you stupid?"  
"What?"  
"Sai has done nothing but torment you, and all of a sudden he wants to help you? Come on Naruto, that makes no sense!"  
"That's what I thought too.." Naruto admitted, "But maybe..."  
"No." Sasuke cut him off, "There aren't any maybes with a guy like him. You can't seriously be trusting him?!"  
"Who said I trusted him?" Naruto snapped, "Besides, he brought me here, didn't he?"  
"So what? He'd might as well drop you off at the side of the road. At least if he's half the nutcase his brother is. And by the way you're describing him right now, he sounds pretty bipolar to me!"  
"You're fucking paranoid!" Naruto regretted the words as soon as he'd spoken them, and still he wasn't able to stop himself; "Has it occurred to you that maybe Sai's such a jerkwad because he's lonely? That he took me here because we have something in common?"

Sasuke arched an eyebrow in question.

"We both have someone here we care about!" Naruto spat, "But you don't know what that means, do you?! To care? It's not like you cared to tell me that you were going away! You waited until the last minute. Because you don't know what trust is either!"  
Sasuke looked taken aback.  
"Do you know how much that hurts, Sasuke?! It fucking hurts!"

How had this happened?  
Naruto was amazed himself at how pissed off he really was. He was spewing oaths and curses at Sasuke; the same person that had made him feel safe. And he didn't know why. But he was scared.

The Uchiha glared back at Naruto with defiance. His eyes were pitch black.

"Is that what you think?" he hissed, "It didn't occur to you that I might've been searching for a way to tell you, and that I couldn't find one because I was afraid of your reaction? Did you ever stop to think that I was afraid of losing you?!"  
His words died out.  
Vulnerability shot through him again. Having said those words made him feel horrified.  
"What is this?" Naruto whispered, feeling exhausted all of a sudden. "This fight? What is this we have?"  
Sasuke took a deep breath, regaining his senses.  
"All we do is fight! Every time we have some sort of moment, it ends in a fight! And you're always pushing me away!"  
"You started this you know," Sasuke said.  
"I don't care who started it! I let Sai take me here because I was worried about you! And I know that you probably don't want me to see you here, in this state, but I came anyway, because I was worried about you! Not to get yelled at!"

Sasuke didn't say anything. Naruto had yelled first, and they both knew it, but if he said that it'd only trigger another explosion. Sasuke wasn't stupid.

"I don't mean to push you away," Sasuke muttered, "I don't."  
"Then why?" Naruto demanded, "It's like you don't remember anything...And like you can't make up your mind at all! What am I to you?"  
"You..." Sasuke turned his head, emitting something like a chuckle, "You want to know? Fine!"  
Dark eyes dug into Naruto's.  
"I don't think I would've survived back then if it wasn't for you, ok?! You were positive, you were cheerful. And it made me strong, because I wanted to protect you!"  
"Well, I don't need to be protected anymore!"  
"Listen to me!" Sasuke raised his voice again. "What I'm trying to say is that I don't care. I don't care what we're fighting about! But if you want to know what you are to me, then I'll show you."

In the next second, Naruto found himself pinned down on the bed, with Sasuke on top of him. The raven's hands were holding his in a firm grip, his knee forcing Naruto's legs apart.  
Warm, chapped lips found Naruto's, pressing down on them, forcing them to part so his tongue could slip inside Naruto's mouth, persisting until the blonde kissed him back.

A jolt went through Naruto as soon as their lips met. Like he'd forgotten all about how Sasuke's mouth felt on his. Only, that would be a lie.

As much as he'd hated Sasuke over the last few weeks; for leaving him, for not telling him and just because he worried so much about him, he'd wanted more than anything to see him, to make sure he was alright. He'd dreamt about him, without having wanted to.

His hand went up to run over Sasuke's neck, fisting in his hair, pulling the Uchiha closer to himself, pressing against him as the raven's tongue plunged back into his mouth, earning him a quiet growl from the blonde.

They broke apart, their bodies still pressed tightly together. Sasuke swallowed, looking down at Naruto, his dark eyes questioning.

"Sasuke..."  
"Sorry," the word tasted bitterly in Sasuke's mouth; like he'd been using it all too much lately, "If you think we're moving too fast..."  
"No. That's not it..."

Relief crossed Sasuke's face.

"It's just that... I wanted to talk to you... that's what I came for, although.. I said it all..."  
"Then don't say anymore..." Sasuke whispered, kissing the corner of Naruto's lips, grinding carefully against him.  
"No," Naruto pushed him back, "I really need to know, how _are_ you?"  
"I told you already."

Naruto's hand fell from Sasuke's hair to his back, resting there.

"Yeah, you told me a bunch of crap...but _how _are you feeling?"  
Sasuke snorted, "You sound like my therapist."  
Naruto grinned faintly. "Idiot."  
"So you wanna know how I'm doing, huh?" Sasuke asked, running his hand through his bangs, pulling his hair back, "I hate this place. I hate being back here, with people watching me all the time, making my decisions for me. I can't stand all their psycho babble crap. But I'm okay."  
The blonde smiled a little. "Really?"

Sasuke nodded.

"I guess... I didn't want you to keep everything bottled up..." Naruto started, "We can talk."  
"We didn't have to talk before," Sasuke reminded him.  
"No, but we trusted each other then. You were less of a bastard then," he smiled wryly.  
"I know you, Sasuke," Naruto sobered, "That's why we're in this relationship right? Because we used to depend on each other enough to make this feel less crazy? Moving this fast?"  
"You think so," Sasuke chewed on his lip, leaning down, closer to Naruto's face, "Then, I'll let you depend on me."  
"This isn't only about me," Naruto pushed Sasuke away, but only a little, he was still close enough for Naruto to feel his breathing on his scarred cheeks.  
"Fine," Sasuke coaxed against whiskered cheeks, "I'll depend on you too..."

His voice was rawer, needier.  
His lips were hard and soft at the same time, moving down to Naruto's own, locking with them.

The door opened.  
Naruto tilted his head back, to the upside down view of a woman with glasses, fuming in the doorway, with Sai and Suigetsu standing partially hidden in the corridor behind her.  
He swallowed, and forced a tentative, sheepish grin.  
"For the record," he laughed nervously, "This is making him feel _really_ good!"  
Sasuke frowned, sitting up.  
"Let me guess," he started, "This is against regulations, isn't it?"

The woman in the doorway, who Naruto had assumed was Sasuke's therapist, was still gaping at them.  
"I know how this looks," the Uchiha continued, "Me and him... alone in my room like this? But seriously, I would have taken him somewhere else, if I'd been allowed to go anywhere else."

Naruto bit his lip, not to let the woman see his smile.  
Even here, with doctors and psychologists all around him, Sasuke was the same cocky bastard he'd always been.

The therapists' icy appearance didn't crumble for as much as an instant.  
Suigetsu coughed behind her.  
"So..." he said nervously, scratching himself on the upper arm, "_That's_ where your friend went, Sai..."

Sai said nothing. His eyes were fixated on the two boys on the bed.  
He smirked.  
Naruto scowled back at him.

"Don't even try to act like you're innocent." said the woman, turning to Suigetsu for a brief moment.  
The white haired boy shrugged, grinning.  
"It's worth a shot?"

Naruto scrambled off the bed, still rubbing his neck nervously.  
"I'm sorry," he said, "I shouldn't have snuck up here. It wasn't Suigetsu's idea, I swear. I just really needed to talk to Sasuke."

The woman with the glasses crossed her arms over her chest.  
She sighed.  
"I'll give you a few more minutes then. But please, Sasuke, take your...friend down to the TV room or something."  
Sasuke nodded, mumbling a brief 'thank you'. He stood from the bed, leading Naruto past her and through the door. He didn't look at Suigetsu, or Sai.  
Naruto exchanged a brief glance with the other raven, but didn't say anything to him. Sai was quiet as well.  
Sasuke's therapist called after them down the hall; "I expect to see you at my office in forty minutes!"

After that the conversation sort of froze. In the presence of other patients and doctors, Sasuke withdrew, and Naruto himself couldn't find much to talk about either. Whenever he tried, Sasuke would act dismissive and uninterested.  
Naruto was certain however, that the raven appreciated having him there.

After thirty minutes of near-silence, Sasuke stood.  
Naruto looked up at him.  
"I'll walk you out," the Uchiha said.  
Naruto nodded, following him out of the room, into the hallway.

"So, you've got a session now?"  
Sasuke nodded.  
"How does that make you feel?" Naruto flashed a cheeky grin.  
"Shut up dobe," Sasuke pushed him gently.  
"Listen..." Naruto grabbed the Uchiha's hand, "I'm sorry I just appeared here all of a sudden...I know it must be weird for you and-"  
"It's okay," Sasuke broke him off, "I'm glad you came."  
Naruto's lips curved upwards in relief.  
"Of course, I'd preferred that you didn't have to see me here...like this.." Sasuke ran his thumb absentmindedly along Naruto's hand, smiling slightly, "But I'm glad you came. It was good to see you."  
"Yeah, you too."

That odd silence came down over them again.

"I have to go," Sasuke's grip on Naruto's hand tightened.  
"I know," there was a reluctance in Naruto's voice, he squeezed back.  
"Come here," Sasuke said so quietly, almost just mouthing the words, pulling Naruto closer to him. He let go of the blonde's hand, sliding his arms around his waist instead; hands moving up to brush over scarred cheeks and up to run through blonde locks.

Their lips touched briefly.  
Naruto's eyes wandered to see if anyone was watching them, but they were alone in the hallway. He kissed Sasuke back harder, gripping his shirt, not wanting to let go.  
There'd been too many goodbyes lately.

They broke apart, staring at each other. Sasuke was smiling.  
"I appreciate you coming here," he said, looking away slightly embarrassed, "But don't do it again, okay?"  
"I won't," Naruto promised, "As long as you get out of here soon."  
The Uchiha allowed himself to chuckle quietly. "I promise."  
"Good," Naruto grinned, "Because you know... I have needs."  
"What?" Sasuke cocked an eyebrow.  
The blonde stuck his tongue out. "Nevermind."  
"Idiot."  
"I'll see you, 'kay?" Naruto gripped Sasuke's hand briefly again, squeezing it.  
"Okay," Sasuke returned the squeeze.

"Bye."

Their hands let go of one another.  
Naruto begun walking down the hall, towards the reception, feeling Sasuke's eyes on his back, but not daring to turn around.  
If he did then he'd probably be unable to leave. He felt so bad for Sasuke, being left here. Like he was abandoning him all over again.

"Naruto!"

He turned around, seeing Sasuke standing in that same place, with a wry smile on his lips.  
"What?"  
"You look good in my sweater."  
"Heh," Naruto's lip curved upwards, he smiled and waved, "So do you!"

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Naruto found himself back in Sai's car.

"I'm sorry," he said.  
"For what?" Sai replied dryly, keeping his eyes focused at the rear-view mirror as he backed out of the parking lot.  
"For making you leave early... You probably wanted to stay longer..."  
"Nah," Sai brushed him off, "We're brothers after all. There's a limit to how long we can hang around each other without the both of us going nuts."  
Naruto smiled faintly.

"So how was it? Seeing Prince Charming again?"  
"Listen," Naruto said, "Sasuke and I..."  
"Whatever," Sai shrugged, "I'm not gonna tell anyone."  
Naruto looked out the window.  
"But if you think that no one's catching on, you're stupider than you look, Uzumaki."  
"Get bent."  
Sai smirked.

"Thanks." the word fell from Naruto's lips without him being aware of it.  
"Don't mention it," Sai said, "And I won't either."  
He went quiet, before adding; "As long as you don't."  
"What? Tell anyone that you took me here, or about-"  
"My brother being in the crazyhouse? Yeah that," Sai's voice was slightly bitter, "That's not why though."  
The blonde looked quizzically back at the raven.  
Sai's lip quirked upwards, his eyes focusing on the road again. "As far as anyone knows, Suigetsu's dead."

Sai didn't elaborate, and Naruto didn't feel comfortable about asking what that meant.

The only words exchanged between them after that was whether or not they should stop at the same fast food restaurant and catch a bite before reaching Konoha. However, the oppressive silence in the car made them decide against it.

* * *

The sun was just about to set in Konoha when the two of them got back.

Climbing out of the passenger seat, Naruto was once again uncertain. His mind was clouded with thoughts of what had happened that day, but he was definitely calmer he decided. Having seen Sasuke made him feel better. He was pretty sure that the Uchiha would be alright.

"Thanks again," he said to Sai, a tad awkwardly.  
"Seriously, don't mention it." Sai slammed the door shut, turning the key in the lock.  
Naruto offered a half-smile.  
"I mean it though. Regardless of what you think of me, I appreciate it."  
"Whatever," Sai shrugged, seemingly impatient and eager to get away.  
"You're not that bad actually," the blonde smiled, "Turns out you have a heart after all."  
Sai rolled his eyes.  
"And it turns out you don't have a dick," he leered off, "Cut the crap Uzumaki. Seriously."  
Naruto failed to hold back his amusement, chuckling slightly.  
"I'll see you around."  
"I hope not." Sai said dryly, but he was smiling.

Watching the car disappear around a corner, Naruto started walking up the road. He could've told Sai to drop him off at Iruka's, rather than driving him back home, but the uncomfortable silence in the car had made him think twice about it - and he wasn't so sure he wanted to go back to Iruka's house just yet anyway, God knew what he could've walked in on.

And he felt bad for not having been around to help at the orphanage lately; Chiyo was getting old and it wasn't fair to leave Gaara with all the chores just because he was feeling depressed, even if Neji was there to help out.  
Actually, that made him feel even worse. But he plastered his usual grin on his face when he opened the door and kicked off his shoes;

"I'm home!"  
The kids came to greet him, but no one else.  
"Why are you still up? Where's Chiyo-baa?" he asked, hoisting a little girl into his arms.  
"Downstairs, doing laundry."  
"Why's she doing that? Where's Gaara?"  
"Gaara-nii's been out all day," said the girl chewing on her hair, "And Neji's not here. So she has to."  
"Tch," the blonde teen bit his lip.  
"You," Konohamaru was tugging on his sweater, "You owe me a chocolate bar. Do you have it?"  
"Sorry," Naruto frowned, "I forgot... I'll make you some ramen though. Okay?"  
"I'm not you." the boy strode off.

Naruto laughed quietly, making his way into the kitchen.

* * *

Sasuke's therapist was eyeing him curiously, tapping at her clipboard with newly painted red nails.

"If you say a word, I'm outta here," Sasuke warned her.  
She smirked slightly, pursing her glossed lips.  
"Are you happy?" she asked.  
"What?" the Uchiha snorted in disbelief, "I'm locked up, how happy do you think I can get?"  
"I mean, are you happy he came here?"  
Sasuke shrugged. "He shouldn't have."  
"So you're confused," she stated, noting down her own words.  
"I didn't say that," Sasuke leaned back in his chair, "I didn't want him to come here because it's none of his business."  
"So he makes you feel weak."  
"Are you even listening to me?" the annoyed teen glared at her, carrying his wounded pride on his sleeve.  
"Having feelings for someone else brings out the weirdest things in us, Sasuke."

Sasuke looked away, focusing on the doorknob to his left. He wanted to let her know that his feelings for _her_ brought forth murderous things in him, but refrained from it. Like he'd been calmed by Naruto's visit.  
"Hn," he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Is he the reason you want your phone back so badly?"  
"I'm a teen," Sasuke said sarcastically, "I can't live without it, okay?"  
She corrected her glasses, offering him a sympathizing smile.  
"This is precisely why; the instant he came here you changed. We didn't want you to have contact with the outside world because we were afraid it'd make it hard to distinguish changes in your personality due to sideeffects from those caused by outside influences."  
"That's lame." Sasuke announced.  
"You may think so, but believe me, it works quite well."  
"Good for you," the Uchiha glanced impatiently at the clock.  
"But you've accepted it?"  
"Huh?" he wasn't following.  
"I mean, that you're not really into girls?"  
"Does it seem like I'm _not _accepting it?" he bit her off, "And can we please stop talking about him? It's a waste of time, and none of your business anyway."  
The woman sighed, "Alright. As long as it's clear that this is the last time you sneak someone up to your room."  
"I didn't-"  
"I know. But I need to be sure you understand the rules."  
"I get it," Sasuke assured her.  
"Good," she corrected her glasses again.

Sasuke caught the gesture in the corner of his eye, and wondered silently why she didn't just switch to contacts. Glasses obviously didn't agree with the shape of her nose.

"Let's talk about your brother."  
"What?" the raven's entire body stiffened.  
"You've been here for weeks, and we still haven't talked about him."  
"Let's not," he replied sourly, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.  
She ignored him.  
"You saw him on several occasions, did you not?"  
"I told you that already."  
"You and your brother, you were close, weren't you?"

Sasuke clenched his fists. He pictured the photo from his brother's old room; of the two of them, taken back when everything was so simple, when all he wanted was to be like his older brother. He didn't want to think about it.

"You looked up to Itachi, wanted to be like him, didn't you say so?"  
"Stop it," he hissed, like she was performing some sort of torture on him.  
"You're still in pain," she stated, "Which is understandable. It must've been quite traumatizing to lose him like that, you were still so young and-"  
"He's not dead."  
"Excuse me?"  
"He's not dead," Sasuke repeated, clenching his fists so intensely he could draw blood with his nails. It felt good,  
and it worried him.  
"Why do you think he still lives?"  
"Because," Sasuke muttered, "They haven't found him yet. He was too smart. Without a body there is no evidence. He's not dead."

The look she was giving him was one of fascination.  
_'Breakthrough?'_ she scribbled.  
"You seem certain?"

Sasuke looked out the window, his eyes darting nervously around.  
"He told me," he mumbled.

She sighed.  
_'Denial. Further medication required.'_

"You don't believe me," Sasuke stated, "But I'm sure of it..."  
She didn't move, but continued to stare at him, pen in hand, ready to note down anything he said.  
"I'm not crazy," his voice fell, his nails digging deep into his wrists, soothing the chaos in his mind against his will,  
calming those disturbing thoughts, "He's out there somewhere."  
"Sasuke," her voice was pained.  
"Leave me alone," he stood, heading for the door, "Our time's up."

Suigetsu was leaning against the wall in the corridor outside, waiting for him.  
Sasuke didn't spare him as much as a glace; striding by him.  
One single drop of blood trickled down his hand, warm and reassuring.

He hated it.

* * *

Gaara walked hastily down the street. For a small town, Konoha was way too crowded. During summer it was always like this; twice as many people out, because of summer vacation, not to mention all the people who were here to visit relatives.  
It made him uncomfortable.  
Trying his best not to crash into anyone, he made his way across the road.

He could see the apartment building where his siblings lived now, and sighed thankfully; it was hot, even though it was getting late, and he'd just about had it with all these strangers keeping an eye on him wherever he went.  
Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he tried his best to ignore them all, letting his gaze wander, while still keeping an eye on the building where he was headed.

In the crowd, he spotted someone familiar heading towards him; a boy with spiky hair pulled back in a pony tail.  
Naruto's friend, Shikamaru was it?

They passed each other, exchanging glances.  
Shikamaru nodded at him, Gaara nodded back, and then the other was lost in the buzzing crowd again.

His sister was in the living room, painting her toe nails when he came in. Kankurou was nowhere to be seen.  
"Gaara!" she smiled, "What are you doing here?"  
"Crashing," said the red, plopping down in the couch beside her, "Can I spend the night?"  
"Sure. Do they know you're here?"  
He shook his head.  
"Alright, I'll give them a call then," she stood, wobbling over to the phone, trying not to ruin her toes.

The phonecall was a quick one, and she returned to the couch shortly.

"Naruto says hi," she said, "It sounded like he was almost relieved to hear that you're here."  
Gaara shrugged.  
"You're not fighting, are you?"  
"No," he shrugged again, picking up the bottle of nailpolish, studying it without any particular interest.

"I didn't know you liked younger guys?" he suddenly said, eyeing her.  
"What?" she croaked, the brush slipping; pink color trailing down her toe.  
"I saw Shikamaru on the street," he informed.  
"So? It's a small town," she shrugged.  
"Yeah right," Gaara didn't sound convinced.  
"You know what, it's none of your business. I'm a grown woman, I can do whatever I want."  
"Yeah, but he's just a boy," the red teased, smirking faintly.  
"Shut up!" she glared, "He just came by to pick up something he forgot here, okay?"  
"What?" Kankurou came through the door, "His underwear?"  
The brunette grinned, gracefully dodging the flying pillow that came at him.  
"It's not _that_ serious!" Temari shrilled.  
"Yet." her younger brother snorted, "I'm going to bed. See you."

Coming into the guestroom, he let himself down on the bed, staring straight into the wall.  
Before coming here, he'd ran into Hinata, and he couldn't quite shake off their meeting:

"G-Gaara! Wait!" the dark haired girl had caught up to him outside a small bakery, as he was heading here.  
He turned around, his expression questioning.  
"D-do you have time?" she panted, trying to catch her breath after having chased after him.  
"I guess," he shrugged, a little reluctantly.  
"Then, we can talk?"  
He nodded.  
"Okay, how about we just go in here?" she nodded at the bakery.  
Gaara sighed. He hated places like this, but it seemed abandoned enough, and Hinata didn't seem like the type to force anyone to hang around longer than they felt like anyway, so he tagged along.

"Listen," he said, watching as she ordered ice tea, "If you're here to warn me about Neji-"  
She shook her head.  
"You sure?" he searched her with his eyes, "Because I know that you're probably on Naruto's side and..."  
"No," she shook her head again, "I mean, N-Naruto-kun is just looking out for you and-"  
"I know," Gaara broke her off, "He worries enough for everybody, trust me."

A waitress with pigtails came up to their table, handing Hinata her ice tea. She smiled and thanked her, before turning back to the red.

"I can understand that you're tired of it..." she said shyly, "But he's just looking out for you...He means well."  
"I thought this wasn't about that?" Gaara continued to stare provocatively at her.  
"It's not... I mean..." she stuttered, sipping at her cold drink, "Neji does a lot of stupid things, and trust me, he probably has his reasons...Not that I think he's dealing with things in the best way..."  
This was more than Gaara'd heard the meek girl speak ever.  
"But...I think you can probably deal with him..." she blushed deeply, but smiled at him, "I like you, you're a good guy, so I don't want you to get hurt...but I'm not getting involved."  
"Really?" Gaara pursed his lips, it didn't really sound like that.  
"We get along badly enough as it is," she laughed shyly.  
"Heh," Gaara's lip quirked, "Then why are we here?"  
She took a deep breath, pale eyes wandering before catching his green ones.  
"I don't know why I'm saying this; maybe you won't really care...I just think you should know."  
Gaara waited, eyeing her across the table.  
"There's something I need to tell you..."  


* * *

TBC

Yesyes, I want some adorable GaaHina friendship going on xD


End file.
